- For other Bolivian coins denominated at 50 centavos, see Bolivian 50 centavo coin (disambiguation).
| 50 centavos | |
|---|---|
| |
| 1967 coin | |
| General information | |
| Country |
|
| Value |
0.50 pesos |
| Years |
1965–1980 |
| Measurements and composition | |
| Mass |
4 g |
| Diameter |
24 mm |
| Thickness |
1.3 mm |
| Composition |
nickel-plated steel |
| Appearance | |
| Shape |
round |
| Alignment |
medallic |
| Edge |
plain |
| Obverse |
Coat of arms of Bolivia, ten five-pointed stars, state title |
| Reverse |
Laurel branches, value, year |
| v · d · e | |
The 50 centavo coin is a former circulation piece of the Republic of Bolivia. It was issued in a single type by the Central Bank of Bolivia from 1965 to 1980, during the existence of the short-lived Bolivian peso. Because Bolivia lacks an official mint of its own, production of the piece was outsourced to the Stuttgart State Mint, then located in West Germany.
The coin carried a legal tender face value of 0.50 Bolivian pesos prior to its demonetization in 1987. Although the piece was initially common in circulation, its use eventually declined after high inflation greatly reduced its purchasing power in the early 1980s. By the time it was officially withdrawn in early 1987, the coin had virtually disappeared from circulation.
The 50 centavo coin is composed of nickel-plated steel and measures 4 grams in mass, 24 millimeters in diameter, and 1.3 millimeters in thickness. It has medallic alignment and a plain edge, and like most coins, is round in shape. Both of its rims are raised and decorated with a beaded border.
According to the Weltmünzkatalog, the coin was designed by German artist Wolfgang Doehm (1934–2010). The shield of the coat of arms of Bolivia appears inside a beaded oval-shaped boundary in the center of the obverse. Such a symbol features an alpaca (Vicugna pacos), a sheaf of wheat, and a palm tree on a plain in the foreground and Inti in the form of the sun rising above Cerro Rico and Potosí in the background. Inscribed clockwise along the rim above is the Spanish name of the Republic of Bolivia, rendered as "REPUBLICA DE BOLIVIA" without the acute accent above the "U". In addition, ten five-pointed stars representing the nine current departments and the former Litoral Department of Bolivia are engraved along the coin's lower periphery.
A large numeral "50" identifying the coin's face value is engraved in the center of the reverse. Inscribed clockwise along the rim above is another representation of the value, the Spanish legend "CINCUENTA CENTAVOS", which translates to English as "fifty centavos". The Gregorian date of minting appears below the "50" at the bottom of the reverse, and is separated from the aforementioned legend by two laurel branches, one at each side of the year.
Over 38,600,000 examples of the coin were manufactured during six nonconsecutive years of production. Only business strikes of this particular type are known to exist.
| Mintages | |
|---|---|
| Year | Mintage |
| 1965 | 10,000,000 |
| 1967 | Unknown |
| 1972 | 5,000,000 |
| 1974 | 15,000,000 |
| 1978 | 5,000,000 |
| 1980 | 3,600,000 |
| Total | > 38,600,000 |
References[]
- Numismatic Guaranty Corporation – Bolivia - 50 Centavos, KM# 190 (1965–1980)
- Colnect – 50 Centavos (1965–1980)
- Numista – 50 Centavos (1965–1980) (English) (French)
- Schön, Günter and Gerhard, Weltmünzkatalog 20. Jahrhundert, 44. Auflage, 2016, Battenberg Gietl Verlag, ISBN 9783866461192
Bolivian peso on the English Wikipedia
Template:Bolivian peso