Owner Comments:
The 1903 proof peso was the first proof Peso coin of the Philippines and the first proof coin in this series. A total of 2,558 were struck as part of a set that sold for $2 at the Philadelphia mint, along with “a few private requests by private officials in both the United States and the Philippines (Shafer, 1961). And as far as we know, “no sets were intentionally destroyed, released to circulation, or otherwise disposed of” (p. 32).
A lot of these proof coins have fine hairline scratches and some form of toning. This was because back then, proof coins were not packaged the way they are in the modern proof era—in cellophane envelopes or rigid plastic cases, fully protected from surface damage. Mind you, cellophane and plastic had not yet been invented in the 1900s, so tissue paper was used to “protect” the proof coin before it was placed inside a paper coin envelope.
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This coin is definitely a testament to the effects of tissue paper wrapping as it shows a few wispy hairlines. Nevertheless, this coin has devices that are razor sharp and stand out against flashy fields. The obverse shows russet and amber patina on brightly mirrored surfaces. The coin’s reverse is equally lustrous, sharply struck with watery, reflective fields, and peripheral toning at the twelve to four o’clock positions. In hand you will really see how attractive it is.
⚙️ Coin Specifications and Information
Composition: Silver
Fineness: 0.9000
Weight: 26.9500g
ASW: 0.7800oz
Diameter: 38mm
Edge: Reeded
Alignment: ⬆️ ⬇️
Mintage: 2,558
KM#168
📆 This Year in Philippine History
On May 13, 1903, Apolinario Mabini, often referred to as "the Sublime Paralytic", died of cholera in Manila at the age of 38.
Mabini was most active in the Revolution in 1898, when he served as the chief adviser for General Emilio Aguinaldo. He became the president of the Cabinet and secretary of Foreign Affairs. He wrote most of the decrees of the revolutionary government and prepared a constitutional program wherein he proposed a Constitution for the Philippines.
On December 10, 1899, during the Philippine-American war, he was captured by Americans at Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija, but was later set free. In 1901, he was exiled to Guam, along with scores of revolutionists the Americans referred to as "insurrectos" and who refused to swear fealty to imperialist America.
He returned to the Philippines in 1903 at the height of a cholera epidemic in Manila and died of it on May 13, 1903 in Pandacan, Manila.
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📖 Information sources:
Shafer, N. (1961). United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands. Whitman Publishing Company.
Wikipedia contributors. (2020, June 2). Sheldon coin grading scale. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21:30, September 5, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sheldon_coin_grading_scale&oldid=960391269
NGC, World Coin Price Guide, Philippines Coin Price Guide (Powered by NumisMaster), Retrieved 21:27, September 5, 2021, from https://www.ngccoin.com/price-guide/world/philippines-peso-km-168-1903-1906-cuid-1085604-duid-1519450
Numista Coin Catalog. Coins from Philippines. Retrieved 21:24, September 5, 2021, from https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces4349.html
Today in Philippine History, May 13, 1903, Apolinario Mabini died at the age of 38. Retrieved 17:42, August 29, 2021, https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1127/today-in-philippine-history-may-13-1903-apolinario-mabini-died-at-the-age-of-38