Peru Gold Libra

  • Debut mint: 1895
  • Denominations: 1/5, 1/2 and 1 Pound
  • Mint: Casa Nacional de Moneda (The National Mint)
  • Gold purity: 0.9166 t/oz
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The first mint of the Peru Gold Libra coin was in 1895 with similar gold standards as the British sovereign. This means that the Peru gold libra coin weighed 7.9881g with 113 pure gold grains at a 22-carat purity of 0.9170. The minting was ordered by the regime of Nicolás de Piérola. Peru then took up a gold standard based on the libra in 1901. The currency unit was circulated within the local market and disseminated as a medium of exchange in international trade up to 1931. The withdrawal was subsequent to the decline tax revenues and the difficulties in getting bank loans overseas and the last minted coins were in 1930.

The Peru gold libra coin comes in one-fifth, half and one-pound (or the una libra) denominations. The issuance of the one-fifth gold coins began in 1906 and concluded in 1930 before discontinuation in 1953 and 1958. The annual issuance resumed starting in 1958 through 1969. The circulation of the half-pound coin was from 1902 until 1908. There were intermittent emissions in both 1953 and 1955 before the annual emissions resumed from 1961 through 1969. One-pound Peru gold libra were issued beginning in 1898 and ending in 1930. In 1959, an issue was coined followed by issuance starting from 1961 to 1969.

The Peru gold one-fifth libra is 14 millimeters wide and has a gross weight of 1.5976 grams. It has an Actual Gold Weight (AGW) of 0.0471 with a purity of 0.9166 t/oz. The half gold libra is 19 millimeters wide and weighs 3.9940 grams. With a 0.9166 gold fineness, its AGW is 0.1177 grams. The una libra has a diameter of 22 millimeters and a gross weight of 7.9881. It weighs 0.2354 grams in AGW with a 0.9166 gold fineness.

Minted by Casa Nacional de Moneda (The National Mint), the Peru gold libra’s obverse bears the effigy of Manco Capac that faces to the right with the inscription, “VERDAD I JUSTICIA UNA LIBRA” around it. The reverse of the Peru gold libra coin contains the Peruvian coat of arms, the year below it and the inscription, “REPUBLICA PERUANA LIMA R.OZ.F” surrounding it.

Additional information

Alloy

Gold Au 917

Country of Origin

Peru

Denomination

1 Pound, 1/2 Pound, 1/5 Pound

Dimensions

Varies

Mint

The National Mint

Pure Gold Content

0.0916 Troy oz

Purity

916.7

Quality

Varies

Series

Libra

Weight

Varies

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