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Bolivia 1883 Officially Holed 5 and 10 centavo ??
islemangu
Posts: 1,377 ✭✭✭
I understand they officially holed the 5 centavo so more easily distinguishable from the similar 10 centavo...but doing the same thing with the 10 centavo to distinguish from 20 centavo seems defeating the whole initial purpose. Any clarifying information and/or pictures appreciated.
YCCTidewater.com
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I collect Bolivian Republic decimal coinage from 1864-1909, for about 20 years. There is both a holed and unholed version of both denominations for 1883. The holed version was minted in Paris I believe (mintmark "A") but don't know the reason. I would like to find a reference book (a real one not a price guide) on this coinage but my knowledge, no one has ever written it.
I have the unholed version in NGC 65, all I know that it is supposed to be scarce compared to the hole version.
The unholed is a lot scarcer, for both denominations.
The Numista web site was where I found the explanation of holing purpose due to distinguishing from other denominations. But also there, it shows both silver and copper-nickel versions of the 5 and 10 centavo for that same date. Therefore it would seem more logically that the holing of both was to distinguish metal type difference in the similar size and design coins...not denomination difference 🤔
The holed coins are also of a different size, slightly larger.