A Guide to Venezuela Coins
Venezuela didn’t begin minting its own Venezuelan bolivar coins until 1879, which was nearly 60 years after the country gained its freedom from Spain. The bolivar has remained Venezuela’s main unit of currency ever since, although the exchange rates of bolivar coins and notes have fluctuated. If you’re looking for reasonably priced Venezuela coins for sale, eBay is the place to shop.
Venezuela coin classificationsVenezuelan coins have been minted since 1822.
- Cuartillo: Following its liberation from Spain, Venezuela remained in a loose confederation with Columbia and Ecuador, and used gold and silver coins that were minted in Bogotá and Popayán. The only coins minted in Caracas were copper cuartillos, which were worth one peso fuerte apiece.
- Peso: In 1826, Venezuela began minting its own silver and gold pesos.
- Venezolano: In 1971, Venezuela began minting silver and gold coins, which were named venezolanos. The 20-venezolano gold piece was called the Bolívar. Silver centésimos de venezolano coins were also issued in denominations of 5, 10, 20, and 50.
- Bolívare: In 1879, the silver bolívare became the national coinage of Venezuela. The gold bolívare de oro was also introduced into circulation. The Venezuelan government stopped the production of all gold coins except for the 5 bolívare gold coins in 1912. Venezuela abandoned the gold standard altogether in 1930. In 1936, the composition of silver coins was changed to nickel.
- Bolívar fuerte: In 2008, the Bolívar fuerte became the national currency of Venezuela. Coins were minted in denominations between 1 céntimo and 1 bolívar fuerte. The 1-bolívar bears a portrait of Simón Bolívar.
- Bolívar soberano: In 2018, the bolívar soberano became the national currency of Venezuela. Bolívar soberano coins are minted in denominations of 50 céntimos and 1 bolívar. The bolivar coin is bimetallic.
The value of Venezuela coins for sale depends upon three factors: how rare a coin is, its condition, and the current market price of the metal used to make it. Throughout its history, Venezuela often melted down old coinage to create new coinage, so coins minted before 1925 can be quite rare. This contributes to their value.
What are uncertified Venezuelan coins?Uncertified Venezuelan coins are coins that have not been vetted by a professional numismatic grading service. This does not mean that the coins are inauthentic. It only means that the coins have not been given a unique serial number by a certifying organization.