COSTA MESA – An exceptionally rare gold coin from Curaçao has sold for $390,400 at an auction in the United States, setting what auction house Stack’s Bowers Galleries says is a new record for a coin from the former Dutch colony.
The 180 reaals coin, dating from around 1815, was created by applying Curaçao countermarks to an existing Brazilian gold coin with a denomination of 12,800 reis.
The practice was connected to strict controls over coins circulating in Curaçao at the time. Genuine coins received special countermarks confirming that they had been officially approved for circulation, while counterfeit or underweight coins could be removed and melted down.
What makes the auctioned coin particularly significant is the Brazilian coin on which the Curaçao markings were applied.
Virtually all other known Curaçao coins carrying these particular countermarks were made using Brazilian 6,400-reis coins. According to Stack’s Bowers Galleries, the auctioned piece is the only known surviving example featuring the Curaçao countermarks on the larger 12,800-reis denomination.
The auction house described the coin as being in remarkably good condition considering its age and history. The countermarks remain clearly visible, while relatively light signs of circulation have not diminished its historical or numismatic importance.
New discoveries within this category of Curaçao coinage are considered extremely uncommon, making the appearance of the unique specimen particularly significant for collectors.
The final price of $390,400, equivalent to more than €336,000, established a record for Curaçao coinage, according to Stack’s Bowers.
The sale highlights the international collector interest surrounding Curaçao’s monetary history, particularly coins from the early 19th century when the island relied on foreign currencies that were locally marked and authorized for circulation.