Owner Comments:
KM-10 - Culion Leper Colonies and Stations - 1930 10 Centavos - Mintage: 17,000
Struck in Copper-Nickel with a diameter of 27mm.
McFadden #: 773
Basso #: 240
Shafer #: SL-16
This coin is part of the sixth and final series of coins minted for use in the Culion Leper Colony. The legend on the coins was changed in this issue to read "LEPER COLONIES AND STATIONS" to reflect the use of these coins not only in the Leper Colony on Culion Island, but also at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila. The mintage for the One Centavo is listed as 2,000, however it is listed by Krause and others as extremely rare, and was probably never issued, so it is quite likely that the Ten Centavos coin was the only denomination issued in 1930.
The Ten Centavos coin has a bust of Andres Bonifacio facing 1/4 left inside a circle surrounded by the inscription "LEPER COLONIES AND STATIONS, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS." The reverse has the value and date in a circle surrounded by the inscription "PHILIPPINE HEALTH SERVICE, LEPER COIN TEN CENTAVOS." It is interesting to note that the mint of origin was identified on the coins of the three previous issues, but not on the coin(s) of the sixth and final issue.
There are no varieties reported for this issue/denomination in most of the literature. McFadden, Basso, and Krause all report a single trial strike specimen. According to Krause, this specimen was struck in copper has been authenticated by ANACS. Basso lists it with a number of 240a and also reports it as being struck in copper. McFadden identifies it as number 774 and lists it as being struck in bronze with a diameter of 26mm.
This particular coin is relatively well struck and shows no significantly distracting marks. According to the literature, the Leper Colony money was disinfected with chemicals, so I am also pleased that it did not return from NGC with a details grade. As of this revision, this is the finest 1930 Ten Centavos coin graded by NGC.
Date acquired: 10/18/2013 (raw coin)
Date graded: 1/28/2014 (self submitted to NGC)
References:
• "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands" by Neil Shafer, Whitman Publishing Company Racine, Wisconsin, 1961: 41-45
• "Coins, Medals and Tokens of the Philippines 1728-1974" by Aldo P. Basso, second edition Bookman Printing House, Quezon City, 1975: 76-80
• "The Numismatic Aspects of Leprosy" by R.R. McFadden, J. Grost, and D.F. Marr, D.C. McDonald Associates, Inc., 1993: 58-69
• "Standard Catalog of World Coins" by Krause & Mischler (Identifies coins by their "KM" number 1-18 and A5.)
Rev. 12/24/2015