Owner Comments:
This is the second proof Peso coin in the series. It was struck at the Philadelphia mint as part of that year's proof set. Neil Shafer, leading author and expert on USPI coins, shared that "None of these were struck specifically for circulation. Sold at the mint throughout the year was a total of 1,355 sets. These were struck on order and were regular Proof issues" (p. 32).
Most of these proof coins have fine hairline scratches and some form of toning resulting from the packaging. Back then, in the absence of plastic, tissue paper was used to “protect” the proof coin before it was placed inside a paper coin envelope, resulting in the fine surface scratches.
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This splendid Choice specimen offers razor-sharp design elements and nicely mirrored fields. While mainly white, it has dabs of toning at the periphery. Although each side is lightly hairlined, this coin exudes great eye appeal and has an attractive overall quality.
⚙️ Coin Specifications and Information
Composition: Silver
Fineness: 0.9000
Weight: 26.9500g
ASW: 0.7800oz
Diameter: 38mm
Edge: Reeded
Alignment: ⬆️ ⬇️
Mintage: 1,355
KM#168
📆 This Year in Philippine History
On July 26, 1904, The Pagsanjan Gorge National Park was established through Executive Order No. 33 signed by Civil Governor Luke Edward Wright. Called the Carilaya Falls Reserve back then, it covered 14, 560 acres (5,892.22 hectares) and was initially set aside for the development of water power from the falls of the Caliraya River.
In 1913, Governor-General William Forbes reduced its size to 4,990 acres (2,019.34 hectares). Then in 1939, President Manuel Quezon reclassified and renamed the reserve to Pagsanjan Gorge National Park and further reduced its area to the present size of 377.2 acres (152.64 hectares).
Pagsanjan Gorge National Park is a national park and tourist zone located in the province of Laguna in the Philippines, approximately 62 miles (100 km) southeast of Manila. It is one of the oldest parks in the country, and it protects an area of 377.2 acres (152.64 hectares) around a series of gorges on the Bumbungan River leading to the famous Pagsanjan Falls waterfall.
The three-drop waterfall can be reached by a river trip on dugout canoe, known locally as Shooting the rapids, originating from the municipality of Pagsanjan. This boat ride has been an attraction since the Spanish Colonial Era with the oldest written account in 1894.
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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
Wikipedia contributors. (2020, October 30). Pagsanjan Gorge National Park. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 08:40, August 18, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pagsanjan_Gorge_National_Park&oldid=986242712
Wikipedia contributors. (2021, May 21). Pagsanjan Falls. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 09:02, August 18, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pagsanjan_Falls&oldid=1024306854