Another Newp - War Of Independence Issue.

My Goldberg lot finally arrived yesterday and I had a chance to photograph it today. It's in an NGC AU50 holder, which I will send to PCGS for a crossover along with my "other" 1814, which is a "no dot before HISPAN" variety. There are a few vertical scratches on the holder, which appeared on the picture, but I used that lighting angle anyway, because it brought-out the coins' luster. There is a slight die rotation present, as well as some die rust on the reverse (around "8R"). The piece I already possessed also exhibits die rust on the reverse, which makes me wonder if this is one of the characteristics of this mint...

NEWP:



OLDP:



Some history behind the mint at Guadalajara, taken from "Numismatic History of Mexico" and "Compendium VIII Reales":

Cristobal de Onate, one of the captains under Nuno de Guzman, founded the City of Guadalajara on March 16, 1532, but for various reasons the site selected was changed twice, and it was not until February 11, 1542, that the present location was chosen. As Commander Guzman was born in Guadalajara, Spain, the new settlement was given this name in his honor.

The opening of the Guadalajara mint was caused, as in the other provisional mints, by the War of Independence; but the removal of the assayer and the insistent demands of Don Ambrosio Sagarsurrieta, Fiscal of the Royal Treasury, brought about its closing April 30, 1815. It was re-opened in 1818, due to the efforts of the President of the Council, Field Marshal Don Jose de la Cruz, only to be closed again the latter part of the same year. The reason offered by the official documents consulted was the untimely death of the assayer, but as some of the coinage of 1818 carries the assayer's initials FS, which are also found on the coins of 1820, 1821, 182, and 1823, there must have been some other motive.

Official records state that this mint was not re-opened until August 21, 1821. This must be an error, because coins bearing the Guadalajara mint mark (Ga) are found for 1820.

Herrera, in El Duro, pp. 30-31, asserts that the Guadalajara mint was striking Ferdinand VII pesos during 1822 and 1823. Pradeau mentions that he has seen only two-reales pieces bearing the 1822 date and the Guadalajara mint mark.

The Guadalajara mint was the only one of the provisional mints existing during the War of Independence which was permitted to coin gold.

In this series there exists the perhaps unique case of an overdate of 1821 over 1822.


Cheers,

~Roman