ObverseImage: Wikimedia Commons · thomasha · CC0
5 Centavos Peru
Peru
1863–1950
Reference data compiled from public catalogs
Estimated Melt Value
$2.86
Based on Silver spot price ($78.96/oz) · 90.0% purity · 1.25g
Updated 10:08 PM
Collector premium not included
Specifications
| Country | Peru |
| Years Minted | 1863–1950 |
| Composition | 0.900 silver |
| Weight | 1.25 g |
| Diameter | 15 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Design
Obverse
Features the Peruvian coat of arms.
Reverse
Depicts the denomination and the year.
History & Notable Facts
The 5 centavos coin from Peru switched from silver to copper in the 1920s, mirroring the country's economic woes as silver prices plummeted globally.
This meant early issues, struck in .900 fine silver at the Lima mint, circulated alongside later copper versions that were cheaper to produce. Designs varied over the decades, featuring the Peruvian coat of arms on one side and a wreath or value on the other, but exact changes in some years remain murky due to incomplete records.
Mintage figures for many dates are lost or unreliable, possibly destroyed in archival mishaps. For a coin that handled everyday transactions, it's no surprise it wore down quickly in use.
Some numismatists quip that holding one feels like grasping Peru's fiscal history in your palm.
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