I toured the Numismatic Museum in San Jose, Costa Rica, today; bought 7 books and a

Dentuck

I visited the Museo Numismatico of the Banco Central de Costa Rica this morning and early afternoon. I highly recommend the experience! I learned a good deal about Costa Rican coins, paper money, and coffee tokens in particular, and I also picked up a few new Spanish numismatic words.

I bought seven books at the museum. The first six, in no particular order:


El Papel Moneda, by Manuel Benito Chacón Hidalgo

La Moneda en Costa Rica, by Manuel Benito Chacón Hidalgo

Gráfica en el Papel Moneda, 1858 - 1936, by Manuel Benito Chacón Hidalgo and Ileana Alvarado Venegas

La Casa de Moneda de Costa Rica, 1828 – 1949, by Manuel Benito Chacón Hidalgo

Resellos de Costa Rica: Costa Rican Counterstamps, by Manuel Benito Chacón Hidalgo

Monedas de Costa Rica: Reseña Histórica, by Manuel Benito Chacón Hidalgo

and saving the best for last, a beautiful hardcover coffee-table book:

Del Real al Colón: Historia de la Moneda en Costa Rica, by Manuel Benito Chacón Hidalgo


Manuel Chacón is the museum’s numismatic curator.


I also bought a cased sterling silver Cruz Plata (Silver Cross) commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Campaña Nacional (1856 – 1857).


Mas informacion later---it’s time for a cigar and lunch break now.

secondrepublic

Interesting; I had no idea there was so much literature on Costa Rican coins.

Walmann

I would be interested in seeing a picture of the commemorative cross you purchased.

Walmann

Must be some sophisticated programming picking up on key words in threads, this page has ads for Costa Rica at the bottom each time it is viewed. Other threads do not.

Dentuck

Here's a link to a more detailed report I wrote for The E-Sylum:

E-Sylum, Vol. 12, No. 49, article 6

Pictures of the Silver Cross will follow shortly. . . .

Dentuck

Please excuse the poor images. . . . my assistant photographer was
asleep on the job (see below), so I had to man the camera myself.


The case. The jefe de tienda told me that the Banco received
six medals to sell, and this was the last one in their inventory.


The case, opened. The medal immediately caught my eye.


Its sterling hallmark is on this side.


The sites named are scenes of importance in the national
campaign to kick U.S. adventurer William Walker and his
private army out of Central America.



Assistant Photographer (aerial view). "I don't work
after 9 o'clock."

Dentuck

I almost forgot about this coin! I wrapped it up and put it in my suitcase so it wouldn't get lost.

It's a 500 colones piece that I got in change from the cashier when I paid for entrance to the Museums.

I didn't notice until I got back to my hotel, but it has a neat little clip at about 1 o'clock.

My scan doesn't capture the bright golden luster of this coin.

I thought it was a nice bonus to visit the Numismatic Museum and get a misstruck coin in my change!