Stack’s Bowers To Offer 1899 Panay Centavo

Among the rarities to be offered at Stack’s Bowers World’s Fair of Money sale in Rosemont, Illinois, is an extremely rare turn-of-the-century revolutionary issue: a Philippines Panay centavo of 1899 (KM-156, Basso-100). Few examples of this coin have survived.

The rather crude design is well struck-up. The obverse features a helmeted solider with legend REPUBLICA FILIPINAS 1899 around it. The reverse depicts a sun within a triangle surrounded by the legend UNO CENTAVO / PANAY.

The coin is the product of the aftermath of the Spanish-American War. The Filipinos had no wish to swap one colonial master for another. When the Americans made it clear they intended to stay, the local revolutionaries declared a Philippine Republic and switched their focus from fighting Spaniards to fighting Americans.

The war lasted over three years until an official conclusion was declared on July 4, 1902, although, factually, fighting in the southern provinces went on for several decades. Aldo P. Basso considers these coins an unofficial product of that revolutionary war.

Given its rarity the coin comes in a well-preserved condition graded NGC AU-55 Brown. It will go to the block with an estimate of $10,000-15,000.

The Stack’s Bowers ANA sale also contains numerous other Philippine offerings from both the Spanish and American periods. These include selections from the Ray Czahor collection of errors and modern patterns as well as further coins, paper money and medals.