 Estados Unidos. Gold Pattern 5 Venezolanos, 1875. (Paris). Head r. by Jean-Jacques Barre, legend BOLIVAR LIBERTADOR, artist's name and ESSAI, Pattern below truncation. Here is a significant landmark of the short-lived coinage based on the crown-sized Venezolano of 100 Centavos, quickly replaced by the Latin Monetary Union standard of the Bolivar of 100 Centimos based on the French Franc. The circulating 5 Venezolanos was the only Gold coin actually released. It is distinguished by the Paris mintmark 'A' and Différents Anchor and Bee, omitted on this Pattern strike.
Only one other example of the Pattern is known, that in the collection of the late John J. Pittman, obtained from the collection of Egypt's King Farouk in Sotheby's Palace Collections Sale of 1954. When auctioned by David W. Akers in 1999, his example of this great rarity realized $23,805. Akers speculated ''no more than five pieces struck and only three or four examples known today.'' The latest Friedberg catalogue of world gold states ''there is only one known,'' referring to the Farouk-Pittman piece. The present coin from the great Eliasberg Collection raises the actual population to exactly two pieces! This gorgeous Proof offers fascinating contrast of deep mirror fields and frosted, precisely detailed devices for breath-taking beauty. Brilliant Proof, on the cusp of fully Choice. (Est. $17,500-$20,000)
Ex Louis E. Eliasberg Collection (American Numismatic Rarities, April 2005, lot 3617); previously in the John H. Clapp Collection.
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