Catalog
50 Centésimos Ensayo Michelena
| Issuer | Government of Uruguay |
|---|---|
| Year | 1916 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse presents a bold right-facing portrait bust of José Gervasio Artigas, the Uruguayan national hero, rendered in high relief with strong, austere features in a neoclassical style. The name ARTIGAS is inscribed horizontally across the lower central field. The denomination 50 CENT. appears at the bottom, while the patriotic motto CON LIBERTAD NI OFENDO NI TEMO curves along the upper periphery, all lettering in raised Latin characters. |
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| Edge | Reeded |
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| Additional information |
The Michelena ensayo pieces of 1916 were pattern strikes produced to evaluate a proposed redesign for Uruguayan silver coinage — they never entered circulation, and the design was ultimately rejected in favor of the existing type. Production numbers were minuscule, intended only for official review and archival purposes.
Named for the engraver José Luis Zorrilla de San Martín's collaborator on the project, these ensayos exist in a legal gray zone: struck at the Casa de Moneda under government authority but never formally authorized as currency.