THE 1897 CUBAN SOUVENIR PESO

In 1897, Cuban revolutionaries based in New York City sought to raise funds to support that island's struggle for independence from Spain. To accomplish this, they arranged for a commemorative coin to be produced and sold. As the United States maintained diplomatic relations with Spain at the time, the coin was produced by a private company rather than the U.S. Mint (which has historically produced coins for foreign countries as well as the United States). The coin's inscription reads "Souvenir" instead of "Peso," and collectors commonly refer to it today as the 1897 Cuba Souvenir Peso.

The coin was designed by Philip Martiny. The obverse features a personification of Liberty, while the reverse displays the Cuban coat of arms. The Gorham Manufacturing Company was contracted to produce 10,000 souvenir pieces and manufactured the dies used in their production. Three varieties of the 1897 Souvenir Peso are recognized:

• Type I — Wide Date, with a reported mintage of 828 pieces.
• Type II — Star Below the Baseline of 97: With a reported mintage of 4,286 pieces.
• Type III — Star Above the Baseline of 97: With a reported mintage of 4,856 pieces.

Currently on display at Stack's Bowers Galleries in Miami is a Type III example featuring the star above the baseline of 97, graded Mint State 61 by Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC).

To read the complete article, see:
1897 Cuban Souvenir "Peso" (https://stacksbowers.com/1897-cuban-souvenir-peso/)

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