Estados Unidos silver Matte Proof Essai "Caballito" Peso 1909 PR65 NGC, Paris mint, KM-Pn183, Buttrey/Hubbard-72, cf. Schein-pp. 25-26, PL-03B (RRR; finish not stated). Raised lettered edge. By Charles Pillet. Arguably one of the most cherished designs in Mexican numismatics and the nation's first commemorative, the Caballito or "Little Horse" Pesos of the first part of the 20th century remain one of the most coveted types in the series. While perhaps better known from the circulating strikes produced in the 1910s, the design was first commissioned by the Porfirio Diaz government in 1907 in the hope of being released in 1910 for the centenary of the Mexican War of Independence. Modified slightly from Pillet's high-relief 50 Centavos Essais of 1907, the coin on offer here does not suffer in any way whatsoever from its somewhat shallow engraving, its soft matte-texture details picked out by a subtle charcoal patina that creates strong visual contrasts. Micro-fine die striations are visible throughout, producing an especially finished appearance, leaving little room for any potential flaws to hide, of which we can safely say there are none that draw the eye even under magnification. Only the second representative of this matte raised lettered edge striking we have offered--with apparently no others having come to auction in recent years--the specimen ranks as the single finest seen across NGC and PCGS combined, making this a truly unmissable opportunity for even the most discerning collectors of Mexican coinage. Ex. John S. Davenport Collection (Ponterio & Associates Auction 135, April 2003, Lot 824)

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