Here is an iconic and popular issue from Chile, which features an erupting volcano. I know @Eduard has an extensive collection of these, although I do not know if he has the 2 Reales. The reported mintage on this piece is a mere 3,740. This piece has wonderful original surfaces and I have been searching for one with this "circulation cameo" look since I learned this type existed. It doesn't help that I only get offered a couple per year! NGC graded this piece Fine-15.
That is quite a nice example of the Volcano coinage from Chile. Congratulations! Since you mention the reported mintage figures for this issue, it is now known, per studies of local researchers in Chile, that in fact many more may have been minted - approximately 22000 minted in 1834 followed by an additional 3400 in 1837. This figures squares with the rate at which these are offered in the market. This applies also to the 1 and 1/2 reales of the Volcano type, ie, many more minted that reported in the W.C catalogue. I love the type, and have some in my collection.
Thank you for the information regarding the mintage figure! Only Numista shows the ~25700 figure, other sources show the lower number. The 1/2 Real may be the hardest denomination to locate of this type. Krause says $15 in VG, $50 in VF, and $100 in XF for it - laughable! If only I could pay anything close to those prices…
Agreed. A nice clear circulated silver coin is hard to beat. I often prefer nice circulated (F-EF) to mint state.
You are absolutely correct: the 1/2 Real Chile Independiente type (as they are known in Chile) are scarcer than the 1 Real, which in turn is slightly scarcer than the 2 reales. Only the 1/2 real was minted bearing two dates, 1833 and 1834. The other two denominations only bear the date 1834. The 1/2 real 1833 is more difficult to find than the 1834. The prices quoted by Krause are, to put it mildly, somewhat outdated - by about 15 years. Here are the 2 reales in my collection. Typical of one of the die varieties is the die break diagonally across the obverse.
Picked this one up earlier this year and I have the 1/2 real as well but it has a scratch. Beggars can’t be choosers though.
