In 1516 Spanish navigator Juan Dias de Solis discovered the Uruguay. But savages murdered him and his sailors. But the first settlement was founded by Portugueses in 1680 only. During the next 98 years a Spaniards struggled against Portugueses for enjoyment of Uruguay and won this struggle in 1778. In 1811 Uruguay was proclaimed an independent state (as Province Rio-de-la-Plata). But in 1816 a Brazilians occupied Uruguay and in 1825 they are joined it with the Brazilian Empire. In 1828 Uruguay got own independence, at last. In 1830 was proclaimed the first Constitution.
Beetwen the 1836 and 1852 Uruguay was the victim of Argentina's aggression. During the first half of the XIXth century Argentina & Brazil competed for the influence on Uruguay. In 1865 Uruguay took part with Argentina and Brazil in the war agaunst Paraguay and won it in 1870.
This is the first coin of Uruguay: 1 centesimo 1869, bronze, weight - 5 g., mintage - 1000000 pcs. Minted in Birmingham. Minted during the Paraguayan War.
nice coins siberian man, i visited uruguay 25 years ago on my tour of south americs, it is a beautiful coutry with very friendly people.
Oh, sir. Here (in Siberia) I can only dream about the jorney in South America. But I can hold in my hand a beautiful coins from there...
During the last 20 years of the XIXth century Uruguay's economics gave stable growth... 50 centesimos 1893, silver .900, weight - 12,5 g., mintage - 500000 pcs. Minted in Santiago.
At the beginning of the XXth century a new coins was produced. 5 centesimos 1924, copper-nickel, weight - 5 g., mintage - 5000000 pcs. Minted in Poissy (France).
In 1960 was minted a very small coin. It was the 2 centesimos from nickel-brass alloy. Weight of that coin is 2 g. only. It was the single mint of a coins of this type.
