Uruguay Coins

Collecting Uruguay Coins

Uruguay minted its first coins in 1840. If you’re thinking of adding old Uruguay coins to your collection, check out the affordable Uruguay coins for sale on eBay.

Uruguay coins for sale through the years

Throughout its history, Uruguay has minted a few different coins, many of which can be found on eBay for reasonable prices:

• 1831: Three years after the country won its independence from the Empire of Brazil, Uruguay began circulating copper coins worth 1/80th of a peso. Numismatists consider these coins to be the first money issued ever by Uruguay.
• 1839: In 1839, Uruguay created its first monetary system. The onza was a gold coin equivalent to 16 pesos. Pesos were subdivided into 8 reales, and each reale contained 100 centésimos. Pesos could be made of either silver or copper.
• 1840: In 1840, Uruguay minted its first two copper coins: a 5-centésimo piece known as a cinquiño and a 20-centésimo piece known as a vintén.
• 1869: Bronze centesimos pieces were minted in denominations of 1-centésimo, 2-centésimo, and 4-centésimo.
• 1877: Uruguay minted its first silver peso in 1877. Other silver coins minted that year included 10-, 20-, and 50-centésimo pieces.
• 1901: In 1901, Uruguay minted silver pesos as well as 20- and 50-centésimo pieces. The country also minted coins of a copper-nickel alloy in denominations of 1, 2, and 5 centésimos.
• 1930: In honor of its centennial, Uruguay issued a gold 5-peso piece, a silver 20-centésimo piece, and an aluminum-bronze alloy 10-centésimo piece.
• 1936-1951: In 1936, Uruguay’s coinage began to grow more standardized. The country began minting copper 5-centésimo pieces, aluminum-bronze alloy 10-centésimo pieces, and silver 20-centésimo pieces.
• 1972: In 1972, in order to help fight inflation, Uruguay replaced the old peso with the so-called new peso. A single nuevo peso was worth 1,000 old pesos. Coins were issued in denominations of 1, 2, and 5 pesos.
• 1989: In 1989, stainless steel coins were minted in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 200, and 500 pesos.

What’s the difference between certified and uncertified Uruguay coins for sale?

Certified coins are coins that have been authenticated by a professional grading service such as Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) or the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), whereas, uncertified have not been authenticated.

How do you determine Uruguay coin values?

If they’re made of silver or gold, Uruguay coins for sale on eBay at affordable prices can be assessed by their bullion value as well as by their numismatic value. The rarer a coin is, the higher its numismatic value will be. Other factors that will contribute to the value of an Uruguay coin will include valuable mint marks, rare dates, and the coin’s overall condition.

Content provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.