1974 5 Pesos Colombia

This 1974 Colombian 5 Pesos coin commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Ayacucho, where Simon Bolivar's forces clinched South American independence in 1824.

It's a copper-nickel piece, struck at the Casa de Moneda in Bogotá, with Bolivar's profile on the obverse and the national coat of arms on the reverse. The design is straightforward, as you'd expect from a state mint still finding its footing post-colonial era.

Exact mintage figures are murky; records from that period were poorly kept, and I've handled enough to know they're not the rarity some claim. No dramatic edge varieties or errors turned up in my three decades, though a few show wear from circulation.

I've lost count of how many Bolivar commemoratives cross my desk.