Central American Republic Provisional 2 Reales 1825 T-NR VF35 NGC, Tegucigalpa mint, KM10, Fonrobert-7382 (under Nicaragua), Ulex-2173, Guttag-3930 (under Nicaragua), Stickney-C96, Jara Moreno-pg. 82, Fig. 42. A respectable example of this exceptionally challenging provisional issue, almost never located outside of heavily worn states, and commonly identified as one of the only collectible provisional coins within this short-lived series, most known from only a handful of survivors. Tied with the R.L. Lissner example, this piece bears wholly original surfaces with ample remaining detail and an old tone. Taking advantage of a measure of March 1824 along with Costa Rica that permitted member states to mint their own coinage, Honduras hoped to capitalize on the mining industry that formed much of the basis of its economy, transforming the new metal into ready currency. Whereas the regular issues of the Central American Republic mimicked the lower fineness of the Spanish colonial bust coinage, such provisional coinage took over the higher fineness of the colonial cob issues, perhaps meant to compensate for their generally crude production. This poor quality, however, made such pieces easier to reproduce, resulting in the Federal Congress ultimately ordering, on May 6, 1825, minting operations in Tegucigalpa and Costa Rica to cease.

HID09801242017

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