UN REAL (1890) and 1/2 REAL (1895) SILVER COINS from GUATEMALA

Description

UN REAL (1890) and 1/2 REAL (1895) SILVER COINS from GUATEMALA
The “
Spanish dollar”
, or
peso
, was a silver coin minted in the Spanish Empire and widely circulated in Europe, the Far East, and the Americas (including the U.S., where the size of the original U.S. dollar was based on it).
This large Spanish coin (approx. 38 mm in diameter) was also known as a “
piece of eight” because it was divided –theoretically, and sometimes even in actual practice-- into eight
reales
. If the full Spanish dollar is worth 100 centavos, then one
real
was worth 12 ½ centavos, a half
real
(or
medio
)
was worth 6 ¼ centavos, and quarter
real
(or
quarto
) was worth 3 1/8 centavos.
In practice, these fractional valuations were generally rounded off to 12, 6 & 3 centavos.
In the U.S., the term “bits” was used in place of
real
, so that we had “2 bits, 4 bits, 6 bits, a dollar” and in fact, in an age when coins were scarce, Spanish dollars were sometimes physically cut into 8 pieces so that the “bits” could circulate as small coins or “change”.
When I first lived in Honduras (late 60s), small items such as candy or individual cigarettes, sold in stores in rural areas were often still priced in “
reales, medios
&
quartos”
, terminology that I think has now disappeared, just as a price of “two bits” would not be heard in the U.S. (or understood by young people) any longer.
Up for auction here is a one
real
.835 silver coin dated 1890 and a 1/2
real
.835 silver coin dated 1895, both from Guatemala.
The one
real
coin is approx.. 19.5 mm in diameter, is slightly bent and on the reverse looks like it could be something of a mis-strike (I am not sure of this).
The 1/2
real
coin measures 15 mm in diameter.
Both feature on the obverse a seated goddess of Justice, holding scales and a horn of plenty, surrounded by the words “REPUBLICA DE GUATEMALA” and the coin value “UN REAL” (or “1/2 REAL” as appropriate).
The reverse side features the Guatemalan coat of arms, the silver fineness .835 and the date.
The edges are milled.
Winning bidder will receive the very coins pictured in the photos.