The U.S. Mint Goes to War
1944(P) Peru, Half Sol

Owner Comments:

Peru - 1944 1/2 Sol - KM-220.2 - Mintage: 4,000,000

This coin was minted by the San Francisco Mint during World War II for circulation in Peru from brass recovered from artillery shell casings. There is no mint mark on this coin.

There are many varieties of 1/2 sols for 1944, with quite a few differentiating characteristics. The most definitive though in determining whether the coin was minted by a U.S. mint or not is the number of palm fronds to the left of the llama in the national coat of arms. U.S. minted coins have 5 while all others have only 3.

References

1. Flatt, Horace P., "Peruvian Half-Sol Coins, 1935-1965" The Numismatist, Vol 95, No. 1 1982, pp. 41-49.
2. Flatt, Horace P., "Peruvian Centavos," The Numismatist, Vol 97, No. 2 1984, pp. 254-261.

Date acquired: 9/18/2009 (Raw coin)
Date graded: 9/30/2019 (Self submitted to NGC)

Rev. 6/1/2025