Few times does an auction have the opportunity to offer for sale a highly complete, variety-full, and rarity filled collection as the one we are proud to offer today. If we think about Bolivian coins, one immediately thinks about the Silver Mountain in Potosi, its famous mint where for 300 years it produced enough coinage to circle the globe three times. This collection, formed by one of the foremost authorities in Bolivian coinage, author of books, articles and conferences, encompasses coins from the Colonial to the Republican period, as well as medals, proclamation coins, tokens, proofs, essays, and patterns in metals raging from aluminum and tin to mainly silver and also gold
Collection starts in the colonial period, with a representation of cobs and column coins, with highlights of the first volume being ¼ real coins and bronze buttons with bust type designs. Strongest colonial period is the bust types, with ½ real to 8 reales, making a total of 110 coins, with some holed coins mixed in, all usually f-vf with several xf+.
The Republican period commences in 1827 with the issuance of the famous Simon Bolivar portrait coins in denominations of ½ sol to 8 soles, following the Spanish era coinage, with the same weights and sizes, complemented by ¼ sol coins, with an in-depth study of the 3 known die pairs and a newly discovered sub-type of the 1852 coin and a high graded 1853 type, the rarest of the ¼ sol series, all described within the collection. On the 1 sol, the collection highlights three rare examples of the Oruro mint 1849 Socabon types, which though holed, showcase a one year type of a mint that tried to operate in the rich mining area of Oruro, but the difficulties in refining mineral killed the venture. These coins and only found holed.
The 4 soles section is highlighted by countless overdates, repunched dies, and other varities that makes this a rich and hard to duplicate section. The 8 soles period starts with rare 1827 large and small alpaca varieties, a graded 1829PTS JM where an inverted A is used as a V in BOLIVIANA; a highly complete set of the left facing busts of Simon Bolivar 1848-1851; and several coins sold by Coin Galleries in 1990 as part of the famous Amon Carter collection.
We continue with the short lived La Paz mint, created by President Manuel I. Belzu, Several high grade coin enhance this section and includes a very rare and scarce 1853PAZ J, of which less than 10 pieces are known. The collection continues with the first decimal series promoted by the government of General Mariano Melgarejo, and includes a rare 1 centesimo copper 1864 piece, and a graded 1867PTS FE 1 Boliviano with the scarce inscription BOLIVIANO instead of BOLIVIANA, plus the known varieties of the 1/20, 1/10 and 1/5 Boliviano, all vf-xf+, and a highly complete runoff the crown-sized, 1 Boliviano pieces with several varieties as well.
The larger decimal collection, which is all vf-xf+ starts with the 5 centavo coins, highlighted by the 1871FP, 2 examples, of which only 6 are known; 1872FE three examples, 2 holed, only three know of this rare type; an 1872PTS ER from the Whittier Collection, auction by Heritage Auctions and several unknown and uncatalogued varieties. The 10 centavos series is practically complete all vf-xf with several varieties, both known and unknown. Continuing with the 20 centavos, the hghlights include the 1871PTS FP one of two known from the Whittier sale; 1883PTS EF two in the collection and 3-5 known; a scarce1902PTS MM graded MS65 from the Whittier sale and the rare 1907PTS MM graded MS62 also from the Whittier sale, of which maybe 5 are known; the section ends with five cut pieces of 20 centavos coin, which were used in Cuzco, Peru at the end of the XIXth century in this form, and which are extremely scare.
Continuing, with the higher values of the set, the 50 centavos, an almost complete set, is highlighted by the 2 1873 varieties, the 1879 regular and the 1879/7 variety and lastly, the 1891PTS CB, graded XF40, one of the highest in the registry. The 1 Boliviano is highlighted by a study of the berries on the early part of the set, as well as several varieties.
The CuNi series issued from 1878 to 1951, which is complete with the exception of one variety which is listed by Krause, but no examples have surfaced. Starts with a XF40 1878 1 centavo, the 1883A 5 and 10 centavos with and without the government holes, and the 1901 10 centavos piece which is very scarce as well. The coin section ends with the Peso Boliviano and Boliviano sets which include several scarce silver coins plus some mint errors.
This extensive collection continues with several scarce tokens used in Bolivia, including errors and mint remainders of casino chips issued for a short lived Casino that opened in the country in the early 1990’s. Several patterns also help round the coin section, especially the Toretti Pn17 and Pn20; and Pn51 of which 5 are known to exist graded AU55 and a scarce die proof on bronze plate. Proofs of the 5 and 10 centavo coins of 1935 and essays of the 1883EG 1 and 2 centavos Paris Mint.
Proclamation medal/coins were minted in Bolivia since the colonial period. To begin this section, we have the La Plata Jura for King Carlos IV and the 1808 Potosi Jura for King Fernando VII, and is rounded by the scarce silver medal issued for General Jose Manuel Goyeneche in 1811. As the Burnett catalogue states, republican proclamation coins were minted in the sizes and weights or regular circulation coinage. To obtain a collection of 72 unholed specimens is a task that takes patience, time and a lotof research, which includes 3 pieces in gold. Included in this section are extremely rare, and large medals catalogued as BRN 90, BRN 92 and BRN 116, purchased from specialized sales in the United States and missing in most medal collections of Bolivia. Descriptions of the rarity of these pieces can be seen in Heritage sale 3015 lot# 26471 and 3017 lot# 27313. Included in this section is a rare, one-sided cliché for the large 1850Belzu medal BRN 30B.
The collection ends with a tremendous selection of XIXth and XXth century medals, which start with insignias for Ministers of the Supreme Court and the Minister of the Interior; follows a large copper medal with the images of Mariano Melgarejo and Mariano Munoz, of which less than 10 are known; also in the XIXth century we see the first medal issued for the inauguration of a train line, 1892 for President Arce and the first Bolivian railroad. The XXth century section has over 80 pieces ranging from aluminum, tin, copper and bronze to silver and gold. Highlights are the railroad medals issued until the 1920’s, the centenary of the 1909 Revolution pieces; the 1925 Bolivia Centennial pieces in copper and bronze with original boxes, silver and specially the rare gold piece, a massive 58 gram gold medal housed in its original case, one of maybe six known, and the highest condition of them all. This piece was last seen in the market at a Sedwick Auction, where it sold for $5,000; a set of 1930 Rural Society medals in bronze, silver and gold.
In all this is a highly specialized collection, laden with varieties that do not appear in catalogues, and medals that surpass those found in 95% of collections both in Bolivia and overseas.
Value Add Taxes (19%) will be added to the hammer price and the buyers premium.
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