CUBAN NUMISMATIC
ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 3-08
IS A 501(c) 3 ORGANIZATION
(see newsletter 2-07) JULY 2008
Frank Putrow (04)– President
Andres Rodriguez (04) – Vice President Editor – Frank Putrow
Marysol Cayado (04) – Secretary Fxputrow@aol.com Robert Freeman (04)– Treasurer
Board of Directors – Richard Becker (04), Larry Casey (04), Jesus Inguanzo (08), Stan Klein (04), Emilio M. Ortiz (04) and Rudy Valentin (07). Parliamentarian – Larry Casey. Chairman Communications Committee – Stan Klein. Chairman Nomination Committee – Vacant. Chairman Finance Committee - Emilio M. Ortiz. Associate Director/Research – Enrique Cayado
Cuban Numismatic Association is a member of:
American Numismatic Association (ANA) – www.money.org
American Numismatic Society (ANS) – www.numismatics.org
Latin American Paper Money Society (LANSA) – www.lansa.bz
NEWSLETTER INDEX
Page 2-3 CNA YOUNG NUMISMATIST (YN) ESSAY CONTEST WINNER.
Page 3 QUIZ.
Page 3-4 MEMBER PROFILE.
Page 5-8 CUBAN SUGAR TOKENS (Section 4).
Page 9-10 JESUS
INGUANZO RETURNS TO
Page 10-12
Page 12-16 COUNTERFEIT COINS AND HOLDERS
Page 16-17 CNA NEWSLETTER ARTICLE INDEX.
Page 18-19 FROM THE KITCHEN.
Page 18-19 RECENT AUCTION RESULTS. .
Page 21-22 WANT ADS.
MEMBERSHIP DUES - IMPORTANT
Members are reminded that their 2008 MEMBERSHIP DUES were
due, effective
If you are not current with your 2007 dues, this is a good opportunity to pay both years and become “paid up”. Members who pay their 2008 dues will receive the newly designed membership card, AND a new Cuban Five Centavo “wooden nickel”.
The regular annual membership fee of $10 ($5 Jr.) may be
paid by check and mailed to Treasurer Bob Freeman at
If you are current with your dues –THANK YOU!!
Dues
to the Association can be deducted on your 1040 tax form in certain circumstances.
CNA members, who pay dues and receive the newsletter by email, are considered
members making charitable donations to the club, and the Association dues are
deductible on their 1040 tax form.
Those members, who pay dues, but request that newsletters be mailed to them,
should assume they get value for their donations and therefore should not
consider Association dues as deductible charitable donations.
CNA COMMEMORATIVE COINS/MEDALS are no
longer available. They have all been sold except a few, which will be retained for
CNA usage, such as awards, etc. There are no current plans to purchase a second
order from the manufacturer.
CNA ESSAY CONTEST WINNER, FOR YOUNG
NUMISMATISTS, IS SELECTED.
Peter Gordon, a 16 year
old junior numismatist from Lipan, Texas, has been selected as the winner of
the Cuban Numismatic Association Essay Contest for Young Numismatists. As the
winner, Peter received a Cuban 1896 10 Peso note, an 1897 20 Centavo note, and
an 1897 10 Centavo note. The preceding notes were donated by CNA member G.K.
Graham,
Peter will also receive
a one ounce silver CNA Commemorative coin/medal, a 1959 100 Cuban peso replica,
a “wooden” 5 centavo (nickel), and a complimentary 2008 membership in the CNA.
Attempts to use the
local newspaper to present Peter with the awards were unsuccessful due to the
remote area in which Peter lives. The closest active Coin Club is in
His essay (w/o editing) follows:
What Young Numismatists (YN’s) Enjoy
About Collecting
I believe that what YN’s enjoy about
numismatics most is the feeling of accomplishment. I know I always feel like
that I’ve accomplished something great, every time I add a new coin to my
collection. It’s such a rush whenever
I’ve just found my latest coin and get to add to the rest of my
collection. Another thing I enjoy about
numismatics is getting to meet other collectors at shows and the coin store.
It’s great to meet and discuss with other people what they’re collecting, what
they think of the hobby, and just how they’re doing.
Numismatics, to me, is also a lot about
history. I love learning about the history of a piece, and what was going on in
the world when it was produced.
In
general, there are a lot of things I enjoy about numismatics, and I know it’s a
hobby I’ll keep with me until I’m gone.
And after I’m gone, I hope that I’ll have passed on my love for the
hobby to someone else who will continue collecting for a long time to come. Parker Gordon
??QUIZ??
What is the difference between Proof, Proof-Like, and
First Strike coins?
Answer found on page 20.
MEMBER PROFILE
Since the membership of CNA is so diverse, and separated geographically, it may be feasibly impossible for our members to meet and get to know one another. This section will highlight a member, or members, in each newsletter, providing a brief background of the person(s), so the membership may know a little about the person(s). It will be 100% voluntary. The officers and board members were first to provide their background, followed by the charter, then the regular members.
Jim Groh – Charter Member # 25
I was born
In
I first began collecting Cuban coins in earnest in 1990,
when I purchased a 1915 gold peso and 1916 four peso from South Miami
Coins. I've been obsessed with Cuban
coins, banknotes, medals and tokens ever since. Although
I first met Frank Putrow at the 2002 Jacksonville ANA Show,
where he sold me a lovely Spanish proclamation medal, as well as some
fascinating cards printed in
TOKENS OF
CUBAN SUGAR ESTATES – SECTION FOUR
by Rudy Valentin, CNA
Director and Charter member.
Every country in the world
has had, at one time or another, the necessity to issue what we call tokens, or
private unofficial coinage. There are many reasons, but all have the same
purpose; to benefit an individual or entity.
Tokens have always been
collected by the inhabitants of certain areas, but it is only recently that
tokens have been popular among collectors. This is primarily due to the
increasing price of coins, and published works about the various types of
tokens.
Around 1960, the eminent
numismatist Henry Christensen, published a series on Cuban tokens in his mail
auction catalogs. This information was initially developed by Roberto Pesant,
whose research in Cuban Numismatics is unsurpassed. Mr. Pesant listed the Cuban
tokens in four major groups: sugar estate or plantation (centrales or
ingenios), tobacco plantation, military, and transportation. It is not known if
Mr. Pesant developed a separate segment for the commercial tokens, other than
above.
This section is the last of
four sections, which are a reproduction of the Sugar Estate Tokens of Cuba, as
published by Henry Christensen in his mail auction catalog #60, dated
Repeating, for your
convenience – the following initials are used for the Cuban Provinces:
C. =
H. = HABANA
L.V. = LAS VILLAS (
M. =
O. = ORIENTE (
P.R. = PINAR
In the listings which follow,
the estate name is given first, followed by its location and province.
TACON – Santa Clara (?), L.V.
396. Five Cents – 16mm – Brass.
Obverse – TACON
Reverse – CINCO/ CENTAVOS
TINGUARO –
397. Value unknown – 33 X
34mm – Brass.
Obverse – CENTRAL / TINGUARO
Reverse – F. BUCH HABANA
Description by Ramsden. This
token is a pattern for an issue. The name on the reverse is the engravers.
.
398. Value unknown – 27mm – Brass.
Obverse – COLONIA TIENDA
399. Value unknown – 23mm –
Brass.
As above except for size.
Description by Ramsden. These
are plantation tokens presumably of the above assigned estate.
TUINUCU – Sancti Spiritus, L.V.
The following is a plantation token:
400. Five Cents – 26mm – Octagonal
– Aluminum.
Obverse – COLONIA LA / ESPERANZA /
DE/FANJUL/ RISLEY Y CO/ 5 C/ FRANCISCO.
Reverse – VALE POR/ 5 CENTS/ F.R.
(monogram)
DOLLARES
UNIDAD – Sagua, L.V.
401. One Peso – 38mm – Brass.
Obverse – 100 / THE UNIDAD SUGAR CO. UN
PESO
Reverse – VALEDERA
402. Fifty Cents – 33mm –
Brass.
As above except for value: 50.
403. Twenty Five Cents – 28mm
– Brass.
As above except for value: 25.
404. Ten Cents – 25mm –
Brass.
As above except for value: 10.
405. Five Cents – 23mm –
Brass.
As above except for value: 5.
406. One Cent – 18mm – Brass.
As above except for value: 1.
UNION DE CUAVITAS – Cuuavitas, O.
407. Fifty Cents – 22mm – Brass.
Obverse – U. DE C.
Reverse – 50 / CENTAVOS
The attribution is uncertain.
408. Ten Cents – 22mm – Brass.
Obverse – C.U.
Reverse – 1 / REAL / VALE.
VERBENA – Sancti Spiritus, L.V.
409. Value unknown – 18mm – Brass.
Obverse – VERBENA
Reverse – TINOCO Y Ca ***
The name on the reverse is
the store owners.
(Editor’s note: This is
probably a Costa Rican token.)
VICTORIA – Gibara, O.
410. One Wage - 25 mm – Nickel.
Obverse – Old fashioned Plow/ * INGENIO
Reverse – S.C./ VALE POR UN JORNAL *1890*
411. One Wage – 21mm – Nickel
As above except a Scale in lieu of a
Plow.
412. One Ration – 21mm –
Nickel
As above except for value: UNA RACION
413. Half a Ration – 18mm –
Nickel
As above except for value: MEDIA
RACION
According to Ramsden, S.C, as
found also for the ANGOSTURA tokens NO. 15, (his 2) stands for the Vedra y
Camara, the owners. In this case, presumably it is coincidence, for the estate
belonged to S. Calderon.
VIOLETA – Aguada,
M.
414. Fifty Cents – 28mm – Aluminum.
Obverse – VIOLE/ SUGAR CO./ TIENDA/
Reverse – DESPACHE/ 50 C/ MERCANCIAS
415. Twenty Cents – 24mm –
Brass.
As above except for value: 20
416. Ten Cents – 22mm –
Aluminum.
As above except for value: 10
417. Five Cents – 22mm –
Brass – Octagonal.
As above except for value: 5
418. Two Cents – 18mm – Brass
– Octagonal.
As above except for value: 2
419. One Cent – 18mm – Brass
– Square.
As above except for value: 1
VUELTAS – Vuelta Abajo, P.R.
420. Five Cents – 24mm –
Brass.
Obverse – C.Y.
Reverse – 5 CS
C.Y. is for
UNASSIGNED
The following tokens have not
been assigned to specific estates because their attribution is more than
reasonably doubtful.
422. Value unknown – 25mm –
Brass
Obverse – Fountain with water spilling
down.
Reverse – ACUEDUCTO
There once existed a small
estate near Vento, or ACUEDUCTO (Water Works).
423. One Peso – 35mm – Brass.
Obverse – 1 Peso (incuse)
Reverse – Blank.
Eklund lists it, spelling it
CATARINA, NO. 1881. He mentions that it is listed by Guttag. There was an estate
called CATALINA, at Guines, H.
424. Five Cents – 27mm – Brass.
Obverse – CENTRAL / OCOA
Reverse – 5 / CENTAVOS
I have no record of the
existence of an estate by that name.
425. One Peso – 26mm – Brass.
Obverse – U. C1.
Reverse – 1 / PESO
U. C1. could perhaps mean
UNION CENTRAL, but it is very uncertain. There was another estate named
426. Ten Cents – 24mm – Brass.
Obverse – 10/ S. BALBIN Y VALLE
Reverse – Blank.
Could perhaps belong to a
nearby estate; HORMEGUERO.
427. Twenty-Five Cents – 27mm
– Copper.
Obverse – 25 / b. DU B./ CENT (incluse)
Reverse – Blank.
It has been suggested that it
belongs to the NIQUERO estate. There was a store owner called Dubernoy there.
428. Value unknown – 19mm – Copper.
Obverse – Within a circle, C.S.H.
(incluse)
Reverse – Blank.
The C.S.H. may perhaps stand
for CENTRAL SANTA HERMINA, of
429. Ten Cents – 23mm – Copper.
Obverse – C.F. / 10 (incuse).
Reverse – Blank.
The C.F. may perhaps stand
for
430. Five Cents – 24mm – Brass.
Obverse – MANUEL INTRIAGO Y CO.*
Reverse – 5/ VALE POR/ CENTAVOS.
431. Ten Cents – 27mm –
Copper.
Obverse – 10/ SANTOYO
Reverse – Blank.
There is no record of an
estate by that name.
432. Forty Cents – 27mm – Brass.
Obverse – J.B. SEIJAS.
Reverse
– Large 4.
433. Twenty-Five – 26mm – Copper.
Obverse
– 25 / D. DE LA V. (incuse)
Reverse – Blank.
434. Two an a Half Cents –
18mm – Nickel
Obverse – CABEZA/DE/QUESO / J.
Reverse – UN/CUARTILLO
CABEZA DE QUESO translates
“Head of Cheese”. Although there was an estate called CABEZA at Placetas, it is
not near enough to
THIS CONCLUDES THE
LISTING OF ALL THE TOKENS FOUND IN THE SERIES OF TOKENS, PUBLISHED IN THE EARLY
1960”s BY HENRY CHRISTENSEN. HE USED THE RESEARCH OF ROBERT PESANT AS THE
NUCLEUS OF HIS SERIES.
The entire series can
be found beginning with CNA Newsletter 4/07 (October 2007).
CONGRATULATIONS to JORGE
RODRIGUEZ, who recently became a citizen of the UNITED STATES. Some of you may
recall Jorge’s interesting events on how he and his family left his homeland of
MEMORIES IN THE RUINS
By Jesus Inguanzo, CNA Director.
Editors comment:
Jesus Inguanzo, summoned by
his half-brother, who was very ill, returned to Cuban after 47 years. Both he
and his wife, Dora, had not planned to return to the country of their birth,
but family ties are strong. This is his story of their trip. Jesus included a
photo of the Museum entrance, but the photo was a very large file, so it will
not be a part of this newsletter.
Memories in the ruins, sidetracked for a few hours by a
visit to the
When I left
Most of our family finally re-joined in
After a couple of days of family gatherings, and seeing the total deterioration and destruction, both physically and morally, of the place I was born, where I went to school, where I played baseball, I knew I could find comfort in the newly restored Cuban Numismatic Museum. The Museum is located smack in the middle of Old Habana, surrounded by three and four hundred year old buildings (some beautifully restored, some collapsing into the streets) on Calle Obispo (Bishop), the Museum stands out from the rubble, freshly painted, clean, glass double doors, like a proof 20 Peso among badly stained and corroded pennies.
The excitement did not vanish inside, from the beautiful
Cuban numismatist (Dora was with me) that is in charge of guiding you through
the exhibits, to the exhibits themselves, starting on the first floor and
continuing in a spiral stroll through the hall onto a beautiful 200 year old
marble staircase that takes you to the second floor exhibits. The first floor
exhibits contain beautiful French and Spanish medals and decorations from the
16th through 19th century Colonial period of
The second floor hall exhibited in a historically sequential
manner, a sampling of Spanish Colonial coinage, from Cobs to Pillars, from
Reales to countermarked Spanish silver coins, all the way to modern times, with
a complete collection of
At the end of our walk through the exhibits, we went back to look up the lady that we had met at the information desk, I identified myself as a fellow numismatist and she made us feel very welcome and told us all about their club, the “Asociacion Numismatica Cubana”, their activities, interests and asked us to come back to see her the following day, that she would give us copies of the last few newsletters from the Club for me to take back. Of course I went back the following day (with Dora of course), and she gave us a number of the Asociacion’s Quarterly newsletters going back to 2003, wished us the best of times in La Habana and wished for us to someday join them in one of their club meetings.
I will try, as soon as possible, to scan the newsletters so they can be available to all members; and, if anyone wishes an advance copy I will try to oblige, please contact me and I will give it my best. (Guardafango@yahoo.com)
The lack of resources in the country is evident anywhere you go, but it is even more striking in a museum where you can feel the emptiness of the halls from lack of attention to frivolous things, like coin collecting, we were the only ones there on both days of our visit. On the other hand, the enthusiasm and knowledge of Numismatics exhibited by the persons in charge, showed me that the Heritage of Numismatics in Cuba is taken very seriously, and someday we will all benefit from the efforts of a few who are carrying this burden responsibly.
I am writing these notes while waiting to catch the flight
back to
there.
A
By Yixcian Rodriguez Cardoza.
Yixcian is a coin collector/numismatist living in
PERHAPS the greatest treasure hunters in
the world were not the modern salvagers of today, but rather, the Spanish of
the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries who sought
and returned to
From 1502 to 1820, records show close to 15,000 voyages
laden with treasures and other goods returning from the
Travel from
Although the Spanish were disappointed not to find any
significant gold and silver in
Even with the relatively safe harbor at
Below are a few of the ships explored and salvaged by Carisub:
N.S. de las Mercedes
(Spanish Almiranta), lost in 1698 at
Fuxa (Spanish
galleon), dating from 1610-1620, found near Pinar del
Inés
Francisco Padre (Spanish Galleon), dating from 1540-1560,
found near Pinar del
Galera (spanish Galleon), dating from 1540-1560,
found near Pinar del
San Cayetano
(Spanish galleon), dating from 1650-1695, found near Pinar del
Close to 200 historic wrecks are believed to rest in and
around the
NGC and PGCS ANNOUNCE COUNTERFEIT
HOLDERS. COMPANIES REPORT COUNTERFEIT COINS ON THE RISE. The following
information is from their websites.
NGC has identified and confirmed that a counterfeit replica of its holder has been produced. At first appearance, the holder resembles the NGC holder and its respective brand marks. Upon inspection, variations in the holder, label and hologram make them easily discernible from authentic NGC-certified coins. This announcement includes diagnostic information to identify counterfeit holders. The holder has been seen housing counterfeit dollar or foreign crown size coins. While the enclosed coins are also counterfeit, the label information matches the coin type enclosed. The label information is copied from actual NGC certification labels, and the certification information therefore will match the NGC database. Most frequently Trade Dollars and Bust Dollars are found, although Flowing Hair Dollars and foreign coins have also been seen. A range of grades is also represented.
COUNTERFEIT NGC HOLDER ENCLOSING COUNTERFEIT COIN
Counterfeit Holder: