Around the World in 80 Coins - South America

The first coin for the South American leg of our journey is the 2014 Colombian 500 peso. The obverse shows the name of the country above the coin’s value in the center and the minted date below. The reverse has a detailed figure of a Glass Frog and its scientific name of Hyalnobatrachium pellucidum. The 500-peso coin is part of a five-coin series that highlights Colombia’s biodiversity and won the 2013 Excellence in Currency award. The coin has a nickel brass outer ring with an aluminum bronze center, 960,000 were milled in Kremnica Slovakia with coin alignment. By 2014 the elected government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) had been meeting in Havana Cuba for two years in an effort to reach a peace agreement and end the 50 year long civil conflict between the two groups. FARC did not disband until June of 2017.

Ecuador is our next stop with a 1970 1 Sucre coin (with the stylized hair variation). 24,000,000 of this coin were milled in Hamburgische, Germany from nickel clad steel. The obverse features the name of the country, coat of arms and year minted. On the reverse is a portrait of Antino Jose de Sucre, wreath around the edge and denomination in words. Antino Jose de Sucre was a political and military leader who led a revolt against Spain, freeing an area that would later become Ecuador. During the 1960’s Ecuador faced many economic challenges so by 1970 there was little trust in the government by the civilian population. With a weak hold on power the President Jose Maria Velasco Ibarra dismissed the countries Congress and Supreme Court assuming complete dictatorial power. The country is currently classified as a Presidential Republic under a Military Dictatorship.

Next stop, Peru with a 1967 Peruvian un Sol. On the obverse center is the Peruvian coat of arms surrounded by a wreath, then the outside ring reads Banco Central De Reserva Del Peru and mint date. A figure of a Vicuña, the wild ancestor of the domesticated Alpaca and Un Sol De Oro are on the reverse. 13,920,000 of this brass coin were minted in Lima Peru in coin alignment. Amid fears of a coup and under pressure of inflation the Peruvian President order the nation bank to withdraw the Sol from the Exchange Market where it had a peg of 28.8 Sol per US Dollar since 1961. In October of 1967 the Sol was revalued to 38.7 to one US dollar.

The fourth coin in our South American exploration is the 1968 un Peso Boliviano from Bolivia. The top outer ring of the obverse shows the name of the country, the bottom of the outer ring has 10 stars. The center of the obverse has the Emblem of Bolivia, which is the sun, two mountains, chapel, llama, palm tree. The simple reverse only has denomination above the minted date with palms on either side. The VDM Metals in Werdohl Germany minted 10,000,000 of this coin in nickel clad steel in medal alignment. During the 1960s Bolivia, like many other South American countries saw itself governed by one military leader after another. But what makes Bolivia different is during this period, the country saw a moderate economic growth and a general improvement of the lives of the poor.

Next along our path is Chile with their 2006 100 Peso coin. On the obverse is a portrait of a Mapuche woman with the countries name above and Pueblos Originarios (Native Peoples) below. The reverse is a wreath surrounding the Chilean coat of arms, mint year, and denomination amount. This bi-metal coin has a nickel brass center, aluminum nickel outer ring, milled in coin alignment at Casa de Moneda de Chile. 2006 saw the March of the Penguins, a protest of high school students so called because of their school uniforms. The students were against the privatization of the country’s education system.

Our second to last South American coin is the 2019 1 peso Uruguayo (Mulita) from Uruguay. The obverse is the country’s coat of arms surrounded by the name of the country and mintage year below. Featured on the reverse is a figure of a Mulita, the coins value and Mulita. The Mulita, meaning little mule, is misrepresented on the coin. The Mulita, also known as the long nose Southern Armadillo, is shown on the coin as having 11 bands while the Mulita has seven bands. Uruguay saw a small negative financial growth rate in 2019 which made the slowdown resulting from the COVID-19 shutdowns more severe.

The Argentine 1966 pesos is unique since it was a circulating commemorative coin. The coin celebrated the first issue of national coinage in 1813. The nickel clad steel dodecahedron shaped, 12-sided coin was milled in medal alignment. The top outside ring of the obverse has the country’s name and two value amounts on either side. In the center is PROVINCIAS DEL RIO DE LA PLATA surrounded by a stylized sun. The country’s coat of arms is centered on the reverse with ‘EN UNION Y LIBERTAD 1813 8R PRIMERA MONEDA PATRIA 1966’ (IN UNION AND FREEDOM 1813 8R FIRST CURRENCY 1966). A military coup happened in 1966 which led to a military dictatorship that lasted until 1977. The coup and dictatorship started and continued in opposition to liberal democracy and Communism.