1894 Guatemala Peso on Chile 1883 NGC MS64

1894 Coin From Guatemala Is The Highest Graded & Finest Known

Guatemala is a Central American country located south of Mexico. It’s best known for its volcanic landscape, fascinating Mayan culture, and the colorful colonial city of Antigua, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It also gave birth to the derogatory term “banana republic,” bestowed upon poor, developing countries like Guatemala that were ruled by corrupt governments and relied on bananas as its single cash crop. Beginning in the 1890s after Guatemala secured its independence from Spain and Mexico, the dictators that ruled Guatemala were generally quite accommodating to American business and political interests.

The Original Banana Republic

One such business was the Boston-based United Fruit Company (now part of Chiquita Brands International), a multinational corporation that traded in tropical fruit from Latin America. And, thanks to the United States implementing the Monroe Doctrine that pushed European colonial powers out of Latin America, businesses from the United States were able to secure a hegemony over resources and labor in nations south of the border. Unlike other countries, however, the Guatemalan government went so far as to exempt several U.S. corporations from paying taxes, especially the United Fruit Company, as well as privatizing and selling publicly owned utilities, and giving away huge swaths of public land.

Unique Counter-Stamped Silver Coins

By 1894, foreign coins had become so prevalent in Guatemala that the government authorized a program of counter stamping coins from other countries rather than minting its own! That’s where this coin enters the picture. This unique coin features TWO designs struck into both the front and the back! Originally minted in highly pure 90% fine silver in Chile in 1883, this 37 mm diameter coin features a spread eagle and the date on the reverse, counter-stamped with a scroll and weapons within a thick wreath, and an open wreath on the obverse, counter-stamped with Justice seated left.

You Won’t Find A Better Coin Like This Anywhere

The coin is also the finest coin of its type you’ll ever see! It comes certified, graded, and encapsulated by the Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) as being in near-Gem, Choice Uncirculated Mint State-64 (MS64) condition. According to the NGC population report, it is one of just 84 of these coins that have been submitted for grading, and it is the single highest graded and finest known at NGC! HURRY! You won’t find a better coin like this anywhere. Click it to your cart right now!