KM-612

KM-613

KM-613a

KM-615

KM-615a

This strange economy in listing leaves the impression that the Chihuahua 5 centavos pieces with “spearhead” ornaments are common in both dates and of little consequence. It was Verne R. Walrafen’s cataloging of the die varieties of the 5 and 10 centavos that revealed what a complex and diverse series they really were.

 

HOW MANY COINS OF EACH VARIETY WERE STRUCK?

 

     With no records of production at the Chihuahua mint for 1914 - 1915, and no current census of surviving examples, the rarity estimates made by Mr. Walrafen in his Chihuahua 5 and 10 Centavos are, at this time, the only indication that we have concerning the magnitude of production.

 

   Mr. Walrafen’s rarity estimates, based on a sample of approximately 2,000 specimens of 5 centavos, and about 100 10 centavos are as follows:

          X. Rare (Extremely Rare) - 1 to 2 surviving specimens known. 

          Rare - 3 to 5 surviving specimens known.

          V. Scarce (Very Scarce) - 6 to 10 surviving specimens known.

          Scarce - 11 to 20 surviving specimens known.

          Common - 21 or more surviving specimens known.

 

     An anomaly of which Mr. Walrafen was probably not aware, has been discovered in the rarity estimate for one particular variety of 1914 5 centavos piece - the coin designated VRW-1 (obverse A:reverse1), the 1914 5 centavos piece with “rosette” or “dumbbell” ornaments at either side of the date, illustrated on the preceding page.  This variety, cataloged as KM-612 in the Standard Catalog of World Coins, was estimated by Mr. Walrafen to be “Rare”, that is, 3 to 5 examples believed to survive.  However, in Guthrie and Bothamley’s Mexican Revolutionary Coinage, 1913 - 1917, Superior Stamp and Coin Co., 1976, page 4, the following statement appears with regard to VRW-1.  “Utberg’s estimate of about 18 pieces known is too low.  Nine of these coins appeared in Superior’s COIN sale of June 1972.”  Clearly, more than “3 to 5” examples of this coin survive.  Perhaps some 30 or more examples of VRW-1 survive.  Even though Mr. Walrafen’s samples were huge when compared to most collections, they probably represent a very small sample of the number of 5 and 10 centavos actually issued.  It may be wise to revise the rarity estimates by a factor of 6.

 

     Revising the rarity estimates by a factor of 6, we obtain the following:

          X. Rare (Extremely Rare) - 1 to 12 potential surviving specimens. 

          Rare - 13 to 30 potential surviving specimens.

          V. Scarce (Very Scarce) - 31 to 60 potential surviving specimens.

          Scarce - 61 to 120 potential surviving specimens.

          Common - 121 or more potential surviving specimens

.

     There is no way to determine the number of coins originally produced, and without a census of the coins in the hands of collectors, Mr. Walrafen’s rarity estimates remain our best guide to the possible number of survivors of each variety.

 

HOW MUCH ARE THEY WORTH?

 

     The 22nd Edition of the Standard Catalog of World Coins, Krause Publications, Inc., dated 1995, gives “retail values” for the 5 and 10 centavos pieces in grades from Very Good to Extremely Fine.  A brief excursion to the internet auctions in which these coins are offered shows that prices have increased significantly since 1995.  Increasing interest in collecting the Chihuahua 5 and 10 centavos has led to increased prices.  The Chihuahua 5 and 10 centavos pieces are generally available to collectors, even though some coin dealers avoid them due to low profit margin.  Current prices are not prohibitive, with most examples selling for about $5.00 for Very Fine specimens, to $20.00, or more, for “red uncirculated” examples.  The knowledgeable collector can occasionally find scarce to rare die varieties offered at the same price as the most common.  Caution must be exercised in participating in on-line auctions.  Some common examples are being offered at ridiculously high and unreasonable prices, while others are so corroded or disfigured that they are of little or no value.  Careful attention to detail can be rewarded. 

 

     In a personal conversation with Sr. Claudio Verrey, a very experienced and knowledgeable collector and dealer in Mexican currencies, he observed that he knew of no one who had managed to complete a collection of all of the die varieties of the Chihuahua 5 and 10 centavos.  Indeed, one or two die varieties may be unique and unobtainable.

 

     My thanks to Verne R. Walrafen, Joe Flores, and Claudio Verrey for their assistance in providing details on the die varieties and their abundance.  Also, to Bob Bandy, Joe Flores, Manuel Fuentes, Scott Gatzke, and Bill Rapanotti for helping me to gather the coins and images necessary to construct this attribution guide.

 

     Comments and suggestions may be sent to me at Dave@jdwjme.com

     As the machinery of the mint was subjected to wear, the thickness of the blanks tended to increase and the wear of the collar in the coining press tended to enlarge the diameter of the finished pieces.

 

CATALOG LISTINGS

 

     The 5 and 10 centavos pieces have been cataloged and assigned numbers by various authors.  In his The Coins of the Mexican Revolution, 1910-1917, Neil S. Utberg three varieties of 5 centavos (1914 (CHI-1), the 1914 with “rosette” or “dumbbell” ornaments (CHI-2), and 1915 (CHI-7).  Intervening CHI-numbers were applied to 5 centavos produced as trials or patterns, but never released to circulation.  The 10 centavos pieces were listed as a single variety (CHI-9).  The Standard Catalog of World Coins, Krause Publications, Inc., elected to list the 1914 Chihuahua 5 centavos with “rosette” or “dumbbell” ornaments on the reverse at either side of the date as KM-612, while all remaining 1914 and 1915  5 centavos (with “spearhead” ornaments on the reverse at either side of the date) are listed under KM-613.  5 Centavos of both 1914 and 1915 struck in “brass” are designated KM-613a.  The 10 centavos pieces are all listed as KM-615, except for examples struck in “brass” which are listed as KM-615a.

     The newly struck coins were ejected and collected in a hopper to be periodically removed to the Assayer’s Office for final inspection, count, bagging and distribution.  The first EJÉRCITO CONSTITUCIONALISTA 5 centavos pieces are believed to have been released to circulation in the city of Chihuahua in December 1914.

 

     In early 1914, Villa commanded the famous División del Norte (Division of the North), a major combat unit of the EJÉRCITO CONSTITUCIONALISTA (Constitutionalist Army).  The legend selected for the reverse of these coins reflected Villa’s attachment to that cause.  After the defeat of the usurper President Victoriano Huerta in mid-1914, the Constitutionalist coalition disintegrated into two competing camps - the Constitutionalists and the Conventionists.  Inevitably, civil war between these two factions followed.  When Villa defected to the Conventionist cause in late 1914, he was made commander of all Conventionist forces in opposition to Carranza’s Constitutionalist Army.  In spite of this fact, the legend on the 5 and 10 centavos coins of 1915 remained unchanged.

 

SPECIFICATIONS

 

    No specifications or production figures for these coins are known to have survived. 

The specifications listed below are based on Mr. Walrafen’s measurements of about 2,000 surviving 5 centavos pieces, and some 100 10 centavos pieces.

SITE DIRECTORY

 

5 & 10 HOME PAGE

     Background

 

     Method

 

     Bibliography

 

     VRW Numbers

 

1914 5 CENTAVOS

 

1915 5 CENTAVOS

 

10 CENTAVOS

 

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