966

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, pattern 10 reales in solid silver, 1855, reeded edge, extremely rare, NGC MS 62,

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / World Coins By Country Start Price:30,000.00 USD Estimated At:50,000.00 - 100,000.00 USD
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, pattern 10 reales in solid silver, 1855, reeded edge, extremely rare, NGC MS 62,
CURRENT BID
0.00USD
ENTER YOUR MAXIMUM ABSENTEE BID[?]
You must bid at least
30,000.00USD
USD
30,000.00 x 1 unit = 30,000.00USDApplicable fees & taxes are added at checkout.
[?]Live Online Auction Starts In 2025 Nov 14 @ 09:30 (UTC-05:00 : EST/CDT)
By registering for our auction, you agree to the terms and conditions.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, pattern 10 reales in solid silver, 1855, reeded edge, extremely rare, NGC MS 62, ex-Whittier (cover), ex-Byrne (both stated on label), KM Plate. KM-Pn1; Estrella-81. 26.86 grams. Choice prooflike luster and extremely sharp and frosty details, with minute bagmarks all over but choice in strike and eye appeal.

This important silver pattern represents a proposal for the first crown-sized coinage of the Dominican Republic, struck just eleven years after that country regained independence in 1844. The denomination of 10 reales was unusual for the period, recalling the famous Santo Domingo issue of Charles and Johanna of the early 1500s, while most contemporary Latin American countries were adhering to the Spanish 8 reales standard until shifting to the decimal peso. A circulating crown would not appear in the Dominican Republic until the 5 francos of 1891 (see next lot), making this pattern a historic precursor.

This piece has long been regarded as one of the great rarities of Dominican numismatics, described in Ray Byrne as "the rarest coin of this island" and in Whittier as "one of the great rarities of the entire Latin American Numismatic series." It was originally cataloged in error as silver-plated copper (Byrne) and then as solid silver (Whittier), which specific gravity testing by NGC has confirmed. The NGC census currently records three silver examples (the other two being MS 63 and MS 64, which should be tested to confirm they are solid silver), along with two in silvered copper (one in Proof) and one in copper, but only the present coin and two others have appeared at auction since 2005.

A lovely coin of the highest rarity and importance, both as the first proposed crown of the Dominican Republic and as one of the rarest patterns of the Caribbean. Pedigreed to the Whittier Collection (Heritage Auction of June 2006 [lot 16865], where this coin was featured as the sole front cover coin) and to the Ray Byrne Collection (Jess Peters auction of April 1975, lot 450), Plate Coin in KM's Standard Catalog references.
Please use this link to verify the certification number