VENEZUELA. The independence of Venezuela dates from April 19, 1810, when the junta which had acted in behalf of Ferdinand VII and against Joseph Napoleon, then King of Spain, deposed the Spanish captain general and began to govern the country in their own name. From 1819 until 1836 Venezuela was a part of the Republic of Colombia. The autonomous coinage prior to the union with Colombia is limited to a bronze quarterreal, and to some cuartinos in bronze struck at Caracas. The first important coinage law after the breaking up of the Republic of Colombia and the formation of the Republic of Venezuela was enacted in 1857. This law established as unit the gold Venezolano of 100 Centavos, and provided for a series of silver coins consisting of a Peso of 10 Reales, a Medio peso, a Two-real piece, a Real or Decimo, and a Medio real. Of this series, the Peso, first struck in 1863, had for obverse type the head of the distinguished citizen (CIUDADANO ESCLARICIDO), Antonio Paez, and on reverse the statement of value. The remainder of the series has the head of Liberty and the arms of the Republic. In 1871 the United States of Venezuela adopted a coinage system which approaches closely to that of the Latin Monetary Union, with a gold Venezolano of 1.612 grams, 900 thousandths fine, as the unit. The types of the new coins have on obverse the head of Bolivar, the Liberator, and on reverse the arms of the Republic. The arms of Venezuela.-Party per pale and base, in dexter gules garbe or, in sinister or trophy of two flags, two swords, and a Liberty Pole, on base azure horse courant contournée; crest, two cornucopia of flowers; motto, 19 ABRIL 1810 - LIBERTAD - 5 DE JULIO 1811. INDEPENDENT REPUBLIC. GOLD. 1. Bolivar, 1887. Obv. BOLIVAR LIBERTADOR. · Head of Bolivar to right; beneath, BARRE. Rev. ESTADOS UNIDOS DE VENEZUELA. Arms of Venezuela; beneath, laurel and palm branches in saltire, and a scroll inscribed INDEPENDCIA - 5 DE JULIO 1811 DIOS Y FEDON - 28 DE MARZO 1864 LIBERTAD; below, GR. 32.2580.1887.LEI 900. Edge, reeded. 22 mm.; 497.5 grs. Pl. XIII, 2. 2. 1/4 Bolivar, 1875. Types similar to No. 1, but reading GR. 8.0645.1875.LEI.900 below the arms on reverse. Edge, reeded. 22 mm.; 124.5 grs. 3. 1/5 Bolivar, 1880. 6.45161.1880. Edge, reeded. Types similar to No. 1, but reading GR. LEI 900 below the arms on reverse. 22.5 mm.; 100 grs. SILVER. 4. Venezolano, 1902. Obv. BOLIVAR LIBERTADOR. Head of Bolivar to left; beneath, BARRE. Rev. ESTADOS UNIDOS DE VENEZUELA. The arms of Venezuela, similar to No. 1; below, GRAM 25* LEI 900*. Edge, reeded. 37 mm.; 385.5 grs. 37 mm.; 385.5 grs. Pl. XIV, 4. 5. Medio peso (5 reales), 1856. Obv. REPUB DE VENEZUELA. Arms of the Republic between laurel and palm branches; beneath, on a scroll, 10 DE ABRIL 1810 – LIBERTAD – 5 DE JULIO 1811; below, ★ 5 RLES. 11.50 GS. Rev. Head of Liberty to left, with fillet inscribed LIBERTAD; above, seven stars; below, 1836. 6. Medio venezolano, 1874. Similar to No. 4, but reading G. 12.500.1874. LEI 835 below arms on reverse. 7. Veintesimo, 1876. Similar to No. 4, but with square shield of arms on reverse. 8. 2 Bolivars, 1902. Similar to No. 4, but reading GRAM. 10.1902. LEI 900 on reverse. 9. Bolivar, 1902. Similar to No. 4, but reading GRAM. 5. 1902. LEI 835. 24 mm. 10-11. Medio bolivar, 1902. Similar to No. 4, but reading GR.2.500. 1905. LEI 835. on the reverse. 19 mm. 12-13. 1/4 Bolivar, 1902. Similar to No. 4, but reading GR. 1.230.1902.LEI 855. on the reverse. 16 mm. 14. 12-1/2 Centavos, 1896. NICKEL. Obv. ESTADOS UNIDOS DE VENEZUELA. Shield of arms. Rev. 12-1/2 CENTAVOS | within wreath. 15. 5 Centavos, 1896. Similar to No. 14, but 5 | CENTAVOS | within wreath on reverse. 16. 2-1/2 Centavos, 1877. Similar to No. 14, but reading DOS Y MEDIO | CENTAVOS | within wreath on the reverse. 23 mm. 17. Centavo, 1877. Similar to No. 14, but reading UN CENwithin wreath on reverse. 19 mm. TAVO BRONZE. 18. 2 Centavos, 1863. Obv. CIUDADANO - ESCLARECIDO. Head of President Paez to left. Rev. REPUBLICA DE VENEZUELA. 2 CENTAVOs | 1863 | within a wreath. 30 mm. 19. Centavo, 1843. Obv. REPUBLICA DE VENEZUELA. Draped bust of Liberty to right, with liberty cap. Rev. 1 | CENTAVO | 1843 | within a laurel wreath. Edge, central hatching. 32 mm. By Wyon. 20. Centavo, 1862. Obv. REPUBLICA DE VENEZUELA. Liberty head to right, with cap, the band inscribed LIBERTAD. Rev. 1 | CENTAVO | 1862 | within a wreath of olive. 26 mm. 21. Centavo, 1863. Similar to No. 20, except date. 22. Medio centavo, 1843. Similar to No. 19, but reading 1/2 | CENTAVO 1843 | within wreath on reverse. 23. Medio centavo, 1852. Similar to No. 22, except date. 24. 1/4 Centavo, 1843. Similar to No. 19, but reading 1/4 | CENTAVO | 1843 | within wreath on reverse. 25. 1/4 Centavo, 1852. Similar to No. 24, except date. CARACAS. 26. AE. 1/4 Real, 1816. Obv. CARACAS ANO DE 1816. A lion rampant and a cross, within an oval between two tendrils; above, a crown. Rev. Monogram (Venezuela) and value, 1/4, below. 27. AE. 1/4 Real, 1817. Similar to No. 26, except date. 28. AE. 1/4 Real, 1818. Similar to No. 26, except date. 29. AE. 1/8 Real, 1818. Similar to No. 26, but with 1/8 below the monogram on reverse. 30. AR. Peseta, 1818. Necessity piece. Obv. Cross potent, with arms of Leon and Castile in angles; above and below, 2. Rev. Two pillars; and across field, LV-SVLTR. | B. 1818. S. | CARACAS. 24.5 mm.; 73.5 grs. 31. AR. Real, 1818. Obv. Similar to No. 30, but with F on left, and 7 on right, of the cross. Rev. Similar to No. 30. but reading PLV-SVL-~TRA. 32. AR. Toston, 1819. Necessity piece. Similar to No. 31, except the marks of denomination, which above and below the cross are the numeral 4. 32 mm.: 133 grs. ECUADOR. From the dissolution of the Republic of Colombia in 1836, until 1856, Ecuador adhered to the old Spanish system of coinage with the Peso of 8 Reals. In 1856 the system of the Latin Union was adopted with the Franco as the unit. But the change proved too radical for a population accustomed to the Peso of 8 Reals and had to be modified in 1871, when a more suitable unit, a Peso of 5 Francs, or 10 Reals, 100 Centavos, was established. The system now in use was established in 1884, of which the gold coins are the Double Condor, Condor, Doublon, the 1/5 Condor, 1/10 Condor, the last being equivalent to the 5-franc piece of the Latin Union, and the silver Sucre, named after Gen. Sucre, a former President, and its subdivisions on the decimal system. The types of the silver are the head of President Sucre and the arms of the Republic. The mint of Ecuador is at Quito. The arms of Ecuador.-Three mountains on a coast, off which a steamer with flag on the bow and a caduceus in stern; above, the zodiac with meridian sun, to dexter and sinister of which are two signs of the zodiac; shield supported by consular fasces with ax; crest, an eagle with wings displayed inverted. AS PART OF THE REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. GOLD. 1. Doblado, 1835. Obv. EL ECUADOR EN COLOMBIA. Draped bust of Liberty to left, with fillet inscribed LIBERTAD; wears earrings; below, 1.QUITO.D. Rev. EL PODER EN LA CONSTITUCION. Sun above two mountains, on each of which is perched a condor; below, 1836.G.J. Edge, reeded. 23 mm.; 103 grs. 2. Escudo, 1835. Types similar to No. 1, but with 1. QUITO. E. beneath the bust, on obverse. Edge, reeded. 19 mm.; 51 grs. 245 |