Owner Comments:
Ecuador - 1919 (Providence Mint) - 10 Centavos - (KM #64, EC #160) - Mintage: 2,000,000
History
These coins were minted for the "Repuplica Del Ecuador" by the Providence Mint, a division of Gorham Manufacturing Company in Providence Rhode Island. Known primarily for producing high-quality sterling silverware and holloware, they also produced silver and base metal coins for several foreign countries including Ecuador, Serbia, and Cuba. The most notable of these are the several varieties of 1897 Cuban "Souvenir Pesos", and the 1898 Cuban Peso. It is interesting to note that the engravers at the Providence mint did the best job depicting the steamship Guayas, the Guayas River and the snow capped Chimborazo volcano at the center of the coat of arms. They are probably the only engravers to correctly depict a Caduceus as the main mast of the ship.
Varieties
I became interested in this "one year type" in 2004, and I have acquired quite a few of these coins over the years since. Unlike the companion 5 Centavos, Krause & Mishler identify no varieties, but proofs do exist. I have not identified any varieties on this coin either, probably due to the much lower mintage.
Based on the style of the design, there was probably no master hub used and each die was very likely hand cut.
This Coin
This particular coin is a very beautiful and excellently preserved example of this one year type.
Date acquired: 1/11/2008 (raw coin)
Date graded: 10/28/2015 (self submitted to NGC)
References:
Seppa, Dale and Anderson, Michael, the COINS of ECUADOR (second edition), Almanzar's Coins of the World, San Antonio, 1973.
Rev. 9/20/2017