The small-type 50 sentimo was introduced as part of the BSP's effort to reduce coin production costs during the early 1990s, shrinking the physical size of the denomination that had circulated in a larger format since the 1980s. Brass was retained, but the reduced weight translated to meaningful savings at the volumes the Philippine mint was striking.
KM#242.3 distinguishes this subtype from its predecessors primarily by diameter reduction — a detail that matters most to variety collectors since the two types circulated simultaneously for a period.
The small-type 50 sentimo was introduced as part of the BSP's effort to reduce coin production costs during the early 1990s, shrinking the physical size of the denomination that had circulated in a larger format since the 1980s. Brass was retained, but the reduced weight translated to meaningful savings at the volumes the Philippine mint was striking.
KM#242.3 distinguishes this subtype from its predecessors primarily by diameter reduction — a detail that matters most to variety collectors since the two types circulated simultaneously for a period.