Owner Comments:
Lyman Allen #2.26 (KM #163) - Mintage: 5,657,161
The mintage of one centavo coins was drastically cut in 1929 from the those of the previous four years which were all 9 million or higher. Any pent up demand for centavos must have been met and with the advent of the great depression in the U.S., centavo mintages remained around 5 million through 1932. These coins exhibit a typical Manila mint strike with high point weakness along the vertical center line of the male figure on the obverse and the left side of the central devices on the reverse. The left side of the shield and the eagle's wing tip often lack detail.
This coin exhibits a vibrant red color and an above average strike for this date. The obverse details in the hair, hammer, right foot, and the face of the volcano are all quite good. The only real weakness is in the high point detail of the right hand which shows only a hint of the mans fingers. The only strike weakness on the reverse is in the eagle's right wing and the left side of the shield (from the viewer's perspective). Even all of the stars are discernible and the date and
M mint mark are exceptionally sharp and well defined. There are minor scratches in the devices on both sides, but the fields are very clean and mark free. The die pair used to strike this coins must have been relatively fresh. There does appear to have been a small piece of debris struck through or a lamination on the lower right side of the
N in CE
NTAVOS on the obverse. This is a little distracting at first, but adds some character which distinguishes it from other coins. This has no impact on the grade because it was incurred at the time of production during the striking process. All in all, this is quite a nice coin.
Varieties: None cataloged for this year
Date acquired: 12/19/2020 (already graded by PCGS)
Rev. 12/21/2020