Owner Comments:
I have a harshly cleaned Good I will be sending to NGC in the next batch.
The matrices used to strike the Pattern Proof Dinero of 1886 were meant to serve in striking general circulation coins. They were the wrong diameter, however, and were not put into service. Finally, in 1888 new matrices were prepared (for the Dinero and 1/5 Sol). The obverse of the 1888 Dinero is identical or nearly identical to the 1886 Pattern. The reverse is not; the shield is much reduced in size, and the flowing branches around it have been restrained. The Pattern reverse was of higher artistic prowess.
The 1888 TF Dinero is the hardest silver Lima mint date/assayer coin to find in any grade for any series of Peruvian coins 1858-1935. The 1892 Dinero likely comes in second place. All Lima mint 1/2 Dineros and 1/2 Sols are traceable in circulated condition, although the 1893 1/2 Dinero is rare. All Lima mint 1/5 Sols are also findable, even the better dates, as are the Sols. The gold 1863 4 Escudos may be more rare. I have not studied the gold Libra series enough to comment on them, but it is unlikely there are any significant rarities.
My census of 1888 Dineros known to me:
1. Flatt Plate coin, grainy photo but appears to be mint state
2. Harshly cleaned Good, owned by me
3. VF/XF reported in collection of Peru collector
4. MS 61ish cleaned/hairlines, in collection of same Peru collector (I have seen)
5. A better mint state coin in the collection of same Peru collector
6. VF/XF probably cleaned, sold on ebay July 2013
7. Lower end mint state in a different Peru collection (I have seen)
8 A Fine owned by an associate who is a Latin American coin collector
9. One more reported in a Peru collection, unknown grade
One graded by NGC in Fine (not clear if it is F 12, or F 15). Krause gives a value of $250 in MS 60 which is too low.