The weekly iAuctions here at Stack’s Bowers Galleries are a great source for collectible coins within a reasonable budget. Every month (closing on the first Sunday of the month) our iAuctions will contain world coins, with the inclusion of some very notable highlights such as this piece. The archipelago of the Philippines provides an impressive silver 10 Centavos piece in Proof. The modern nation of the Philippines was named after the Spanish King Philip II, after Spanish explorers discovered it during an expedition in the 1500s. Spain controlled the Philippines, known as the “Spanish Orient” for over 300 years until the Spanish-American War. At the outcome of that conflict in 1898 control of the Philippines passed to the United States. The U.S. mints in San Francisco, and Philadelphia provided the Philippines with a large portion of its coins until they renovated the mint in Manila in 1920. After that the Manila mint produced coins until Japanese occupation during World War II, after which the Denver mint also produced coins for the Philippines.
The obverse design features Liberty standing holding a hammer over an anvil, with the distinctive Mt. Mayon volcano behind. “TEN CENTAVOS” appears above, while “FILIPINAS” appears below. The reverse design displays an eagle clutching a shield, with “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and 1903 appearing as the outer legend. These symbols appeared here because the Philippines was under United States Administration at the time. This Proof strike coin was from a mintage of only 2,558 pieces and displays stunning dark toning with orange highlights. NGC has graded this piece at a remarkable Proof-67! This piece is tied with three other pieces for highest graded at NGC, and is one of 14 with only four higher graded by PCGS. Be sure to check our weekly iAuctions as we will frequently feature more world numismatic highlights.
