10 Centavos

1896 year


Silver (.900)	2.5 g	18 mm

Description

Issuer	Puerto Rico
King	Alfonso XIII (1886-1898)
Type	Standard circulation coin
Year	1896
Value	10 Centavos (0.10)
Currency	Peso (1890-1900)
Composition	Silver (.900)
Weight	2.5 g
Diameter	18 mm
Shape	Round
Technique	Milled
Orientation	Coin alignment ↑↓
Demonetized	12 April 1900
Updated	2024-10-09

References

Numista	N#17450
Rarity index	33%

Reverse

Spanish crowned arms between Pillars of Hercules.
Below, mint officials capitals on sides.

Script: Latin

Lettering:
ISLA DE PUERTO RICO
PLUS ULTRA
P•G• 10 CENTAVOS •V•

Translation:
Island of Puerto Rico
Further beyond
P.G. 10 Cents V.

Engraver: Bartolomé Maura Montaner

Edge

Reeded

Comment

The coins of 1895/1896 were minted at the Casa de Moneda de Madrid (Spain) under Alfonso XIII (Alfonso León Fernando María Jaime Isidro Pascual Antonio de Borbón y Habsburgo-Lorena). At this date Puerto Rico was a Spanish colony, so coins were minted on the style of the colonial currency. Only 5 coin types were minted for Puerto Rico, as United States took control of the island on 1898, after the Spanish-American war.

Motto "Plus Ultra" (sometimes written as "Plus Vltra", also) is Latin Further Beyond. It is placed on a ribbon across Hercules Pillars. The symbolism is those pillars represent the strait of Gibraltar, considered the end of known world in antique times, the legend was like a warning that beyond this point nothing was known.

Initials of mint officials (on reverse side):
P=V. Peiro
G=A. Garcia
V=R. Vega

B.M. below bust, on obverse are initials of engraver, Bartolomé Maura Montero

Interesting fact

The 10 Centavos coin from Puerto Rico, minted in 1896, is interesting because it was made of silver (.900) and weighed 2.5 grams, which was a significant change from the previous copper-nickel coins. This change in material was likely due to the coin's denomination and the desire for a more durable and valuable material. The use of silver in the coin's production also speaks to the island's rich history of silver mining and its importance in the global economy at the time.