Puerto Rico 10, 20, 40 Centavos and 1 Peso (Fakes are possible) 1895 and 1896

This is possibly a valuable coin. But you must be aware of counterfeits. See below.

Puerto Rico issued the same young Alfonso pattern in 10, 20, and 40 centavos denominations, as well as the 1 peso denomination. The 10 and 20 centavos are smaller and less valuable than the larger 40 centavos and 1 peso. A 40 centavos is shown in our primary image. The peso has annotation 1 PESO = 5 PTAS. Remember:

DO NOT CLEAN YOUR COIN. CLEANING RUINS VALUE.

The coin in our picture is plagued with tiny scratches and it appears to be in average circulated condition. The values below are catalog values in US dollars for coins that are free of scratches, spots, stains, cleanings, and other damage.

10 CENTAVOS
worn: $40 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $60
well preserved: $150
fully uncirculated: $375

20 CENTAVOS
worn: $40 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $80
well preserved: $200
fully uncirculated: $400

40 CENTAVOS
worn: $130 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $250
well preserved: $900
fully uncirculated: $2500

1 PESO
worn: $300 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $550
well preserved: $950
fully uncirculated: $2500

These are respectable values. Please use our Terminology page to convert these catalog values to actual buy and sell values.

It is important to be aware that this coin is heavily counterfeited. It is always a good idea to have such coins authenticated and encapsulated by a third party numsimatic grading service. Choose from among the following recognized services: PCGS, NGC, ICG, ANACS (look on the Internet for them) and don't use other services. If you are buying one of these coins, do so only from well-known, nationally recognized dealers.

You might be able to tell if your coin is genuine or fake by comparing it with the images below. In the first image, the coin on top comes from Heritage Auction Galleries, a world leader in rare coin auctions. It is a genuine Alfonso peso which sold at auction for several hundred US dollars.

Below the Heritage coin is one sent to CoinQuest by a collector name Gary. Do you see the difference between the two? Gary's coin is a counterfeit.

In the next image, the fake is of higher quality, but it is still a fake, worth zero.

The obvious differences between the side-by-side coin images is the level of detail in the pattern of the coins. The genuine pieces are crisp and sharp, with lots of detail. The fake coins are mushy and ill-defined, a result of inferior manufacturing technique.



For many counterfeit coins it is possible sort out the differences using side-by-side comparisons like this one. But the crooks are getting better all the time, and some are now well financed. When in doubt, use a professional service like PCGS, NGC, ICG, or ANACS. And only deal with people you trust. If you do not know of anyone you trust, work, first, at building trust using less expensive coins, then graduate to the big time.

CoinQuest thanks Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas for use of their coin image. It's a beauty.
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