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Medellin, Colombia, 2 pesos, 1885/74, encapsulated NGC XF details, damaged, extremely rare.

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Dr. Frank Sedwick Collection of Colombian Coins Start Price:2,000.00 USD Estimated At:2,500.00 - 3,750.00 USD
Medellin, Colombia, 2 pesos, 1885/74, encapsulated NGC XF details, damaged, extremely rare.
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This item SOLD at 2011 Apr 26 @ 18:51UTC-4 : AST/EDT
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Medellin, Colombia, 2 pesos, 1885/74, encapsulated NGC XF details, damaged, extremely rare. Sedwick-35. Restrepo-327. KM-A154a. With good details despite some central weakness and a small scrape in the field in front of the face (also a small cud on the rim), this coin stands as a competent example of the second-rarest in a much-touted three-piece set, joined by the slightly more-common 5 pesos 1885/74 (lot 350) and exceedingly rare 10 pesos 1886/74 (lot 367), which Frank treasured as some of his greatest finds. About the 2 pesos specifically, Sedwick's book says RRRR and "only three known specimens and no auction records," which is reflected in the fact that it was not listed at all in any reference books until 1983. Frank's personal notes mention the existence of a fourth specimen in Venezuela. In any case, the 2, 5 and 10 pesos of 1885-6 stand alone as being struck in a surprising .666-fine gold (with the fineness stated on the coin punched over .900) as decreed by President Núñez during a financial crisis begun around 1880. The low gold content was unacceptable to the public, hence the few coins that did circulate largely ended up being melted. Per Sedwick: "In the long interval from 1878 to 1913, Colombia issued no gold coins except these three matching pieces" and "the survival of any of these .666 pieces is a miracle, for they were coins that nobody wanted, and were issued at a time when serious collectors of Colombian coins hardly existed." It remains to be said that Frank never intended to sell the 2, 5 and 10 pesos as anything other than a complete set, because he could not imagine anyone ever reassembling such a set again. Admittedly against his wishes, we prefer instead to make it a challenge to see whether one savvy bidder can keep the set intact. Good luck! Dr. Frank Sedwick collection of Colombian Republic gold coins