Owner Comments:
KM-4 - Culion Leper Colony, Philippine Commission of Public Health - 1927PM 1Centavo - Total Mintage: 30,000 (all varieties)
Struck in Copper-Nickel with a diameter of 21.2mm.
Allen #: C-13b
McFadden #: 769
Basso #: 237a
Shafer #: SL-13b
This copper nickel coin is part of the fifth issue of coins for the Culion Leper Colony and was minted by the US branch mint in Manila, Philippines. The obverse consists of the bust of the lawyer and statesman Apolinario Mabini as the central element. The bust on this KM-4 variety is very poorly executed and I am at a complete loss to explain the concentric circles that are part of it. As on the 1925 Peso, the mint is identified using the letter "PM" which stand for Philippine Mint. The letters appear on the reverse with the "P" beneath the star to the left of the date, and the "M" beneath the star to the right.
There are four cataloged varieties of this issue:
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KM-3 Type I - One Button Coat, legible Motto, "7" in date over "T" in CENTAVO
KM-4 Type II - One Button Coat, Illegible Motto, end of ribbon two widths from shield edge, tilted "S" in the shield, "7" in date over "N" in CENTAVO- thin planchet
KM-4 Type II - One Button Coat, Illegible Motto, end of ribbon two widths from shield edge, tilted "S" in the shield, "7" in date over "N" in CENTAVO- thick planchet
KM-A5 Type III - Two Button Coat, Illegible Motto, end of ribbon one width from shield edge, straight "S" in the shield
Unfortunately, I am unable to tell if this coin is the thick or thin planchet KM-4 variety. NGC does not differentiate between thick and think planchet KM-4 varieties, so I will have to search elsewhere for which one this is.
Early references (Shafer and Basso) indicate only two varieties. Their description of this coin, Type II (KM-4) agrees with the later sources (Krause and McFadden). Their description of Type I however seems to be a combination of Type I and Type III. Shafer describes Type I as "much better executed, carried the legend 'FOR A HEALTHY NATION' on ribbon under seal on reverse, and two buttons on Mabini's coat on the obverse. This die was broken soon after striking began, and a second die was prepared." The later sources describe the varieties as above, and McFadden provides pictures of actual coins to back it up. Based on all of my sources, I believe that the first die did break, and a second was hastily prepared, but I do not believe that it happened early in the run as stated by Shafer. Based on the pricing presented in Krause, I believe that the mintages of Type I and Type II are roughly equal, and that yet a third die was required, and that a much smaller quantity was produced from that third die, which had also been rather hastily executed. The relative scarcity of examples with a two button coat may have led Shafer to believe that the first die failed early in production.
Very few coins minted for the Culion Leper Colony survive in mint state condition, so I feel very lucky to have acquired this specimen. As of this revision, there are only two mint state specimens graded by NGC, both in MS63, and both in my collection. The other coin was acquired first and had already been graded MS63 by NGC. This coin was acquired second and was self submitted to NGC. It is slightly darker than the other coin, but exhibits a slightly better strike.
Many features on this coin indicate that the die was hand cut. Note the following:
• Uneven lettering on the obverse. In particular, the "U" in "CULION", and the "L" and "P" in "LEPER".
• Overs-struck "P"s in PHILIPPINE.
• "C" over "S" in the word "CENTAVO" on the reverse.
Date acquired: 2/10/2013 (raw coin)
Date graded: 8/22/2013 (self submitted to NGC)
References:
• "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands" by Neil Shafer, Whitman Publishing Company Racine, Wisconsin, 1961: 41-45 ( Identifies coins by "SL" numbers 1-16 with varieties identified by letters.)
• "Coins, Medals and Tokens of the Philippines 1728-1974" by Aldo P. Basso, second edition Bookman Printing House, Quezon City, 1975: 76-80 (Identifies coins by numbers 225-240 with varieties identified by letters.)
• "The Numismatic Aspects of Leprosy" by R.R. McFadden, J, Grost, and D.F. Marr, D.C. McDonald Associates, Inc., 1993: 58-69 (Identifies coins by numbers 750-774 with varieties cited by type.)
• "Standard Catalog of World Coins" by Krause & Mischler (Identifies coins by their "KM" number 1-18 and A5.)
Rev. 12/24/2015