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8 Reales Type IV Counterstamp
| Issuer | Republic of Guatemala |
|---|---|
| Year | 1841 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 8 Reales |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | The reverse displays the original Peruvian host coin's national arms: a quartered shield depicting a vicuña in the upper left canton, a cinchona tree in the upper right canton, and a cornucopia in the lower section, all surmounted by a crested helmet or Inca crown. The shield is flanked by laurel and palm branches tied at the base and is topped by a radiant eight-pointed star within a wreath. A circular Guatemalan counterstamp with a sun design is impressed in the upper field. The surrounding legend reads REPUBLICA PERUANA with the mint mark, denomination, assayer initials, and date 1833 distributed around the periphery. |
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| Additional information |
Guatemala's Type IV counterstamp — a small sunburst punch applied by government order — was the republic's mechanism for validating Spanish colonial and Central American Federation coinage still circulating after independence. The 1841 application came during a period of chronic monetary disorder following the collapse of the Federal Republic of Central America, which formally dissolved that same year. Restamping old silver was cheaper than reminting it.
The host coin matters here. Identifying the underlying 8 Reales — whether Guatemalan, Mexican, or South American in origin — often tells more about the piece than the counterstamp itself.