PCGS - In 1853, three medallic coin issues were issued from the Potosi Mint in Bolivia dated "24 De Diciembre 1853," or "Christmas Eve (December 24) 1853" featuring emblematic designs showing government propaganda calling for national unity and peace. But much like anything else in the history of Bolivia, there is so much more of a story that is told by these Christmas coins.
Prior to gaining independence from Spain and continuing thereafter, issuing proclamation medals, often struck to coinage weight, was a popular practice for Potosi and other Spanish-controlled cities and states around the world. This continued in Bolivia after Spanish colonial control, likely because the history of Bolivia, after Spanish rule, can be called a Caudillo ruling government; a Caudillo government is a person wielding military and political power. For Bolivia's Caudillo president, offering the public special coinage featuring messages and proclamations in silver-rich Bolivia is one way to decimate information and become more popular with people as they are gifted this silver.
For the historian, Bolivia is a hard area to study. Even Davis Burnett, who wrote the book titled Bolivian Proclamation Coinage, notes at the time in 1987 that he couldn't even get a definitive list of when the leaders entered and exited power for his study. Yet, for numismatists, Bolivia is the gift that keeps on giving, with Burnett listing 134 separate types of proclamation medals and 148 varieties of these at the time of his book's publication, with many more being discovered since. All these medallic issues were released alongside general-circulation issue coinage, which has its own vast catalog, including numerous varieties and rarities.
Bolivia 1853 Potosi Sol Burnett-62 - PCGS MS63Read the Entire Article 
Posted 12/30/2020 3:45 pm
