Owner Comments:
The Five Centavos of 1937 through 1945 continued the same obverse design used on the 1903 through 1935 Five Centavos. The reverse used the Commonwealth Arms design which was common to the 1936 commemoratives and all Philippine coins from 1937 through 1945.
Five Centavos were made at the Manila Mint in 1937, 1938 and 1941; at the Philadelphia Mint in 1944; and the San Francisco Mint in 1944 and 1945. Pre-war coins struck at the Manila Mint have the same size (19 mm) and Copper-Nickel composition as the 1930 through 1935 Five Centavos but a slightly increased weight (75.16 Grains, 4.8000 Grams). During World War ll copper and nickel were strategic metals needed for the war effort. This resulted in the adoption of a copper-nickel-zink alloy for the 1944 and 1945 Five Centavos. The new alloy was 65% copper, 23% zink, and 12% nickel. The 1944 and 1945 Five Centavos had a weight of 4.92 Grams.
The 1937 M Five Centavos had a mintage of 2,494,000. The NGC population for this coin in MS65 is five coins with only three specimens graded higher. The combined NGC/PCGS certified population for the 1937 M Five Centavos in MS65 is 13 coins with 7 specimens graded higher.
This specimen has some very unusual strike characteristics:
The obverse has a lose of detail on the right side of the volcano, and the left side of the pedestal which is typical 1937-1941 Five Centavos. There is also three prominent Laminations (Mint Errors) on the rim running from 12 oclock to 5 oclock. The laminations are highly raised with boldly struck dentils. When viewed in person the laminations are also far more prominent and interesting than in the pictures.
The reverse has sharply struck center details but has a great lack of rim sharpness. The Castle with Crown, and Half Lion/Half Dolphin in the central devise is the sharpest I have ever seen on a pre-war Commonwealth Five Centavos and all of the lettering on the scroll is readable. In contrast the inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is extremely weakly struck particularily the top parts of the lettering closest to the rim and the M mint mark is barely visible.
Although it does not show up in the photos this coin has exceptional eye appeal. In fact this specimen has the best eye appeal of any business strike Five Centavos that I have ever seen. The fields are Proof Like with iridescent rainbow toning. When you look at this coin face on it appears to be Gold Toned. However when you turn the coin to view it from different angles the colors change like in a hologram reveling beautiful shades of gold, blue, and red.