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Medellin, Colombia, two-piece (obverse and reverse fused together at the mint) proof gilt-bronze tri

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Dr. Frank Sedwick Collection of Colombian Coins Start Price:1,500.00 USD Estimated At:1,500.00 - 2,500.00 USD
Medellin, Colombia, two-piece (obverse and reverse fused together at the mint) proof gilt-bronze tri
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This item SOLD at 2011 Apr 26 @ 21:34UTC-4 : AST/EDT
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Medellin, Colombia, two-piece (obverse and reverse fused together at the mint) proof gilt-bronze trial strike 20 pesos, 1873, with NGC tag (ineligible type). Sedwick-45. Restrepo-p. 226. KM-TS11. With ESSAI to right of date and below the arms, and A.B. for engraver Albert Barre below the bust (struck in Paris). This was the cover piece for Sedwick's book, as it is quite beautiful, a perfect proof in bright, lovely gold (over bronze, evidence of which can be witnessed in the form of tiny bits of verdigris here and there). As Sedwick says, this trial was struck in solid gold as well (specimens of which have sold at auction for as high as $10,000), in both years 1872 and 1873, and Restrepo says it was struck in silver too; but the main point in Sedwick's book is that, whatever the metal, it was made three ways: as a normal-size, two-sided coin; as a pair of coin-thick unifaces, obverse and reverse; and--rarest of all--as the two coin-thick unifaces fused together at the mint to make one, double-thick specimen, which is what we have here (too thick for NGC to slab). Interestingly, while this trial matches what was adopted for the 10 pesos of 1873, the Medellin 20 pesos of 1873 is totally different. NASCA 12/79. Dr. Frank Sedwick collection of Colombian Republic gold coins