Costa Rica Gold and Silver Coins – World Silver Melt Guide Blog

Costa Rica has struck its own coinage since 1828, when the Casa Nacional de Moneda opened in San José. Over the next century the country moved through three monetary systems — the Spanish-derived real, a short-lived peso, and the gold-standard colón adopted in 1896 — and each left behind silver and gold coins that still turn up in dealer trays and inherited lots. The silver ranges from the heavy .903 fine 8 reales of the 1830s down to tiny .500 fine wartime 10 céntimos; the gold runs from 21-karat escudos to the .900 fine colón pieces bearing Christopher Columbus.

This guide covers both metals — every major Costa Rican silver and gold denomination with its years, fineness, gross weight, and fine metal weight (ASW for silver, AGW for gold), plus how to turn those numbers into a melt value at the current silver spot price or gold spot price.

Jump to the live calculator: Costa Rica Silver Coin Melt Value Calculator →

Melt values update automatically with the live silver spot price.

Which Costa Rican Coins Are Silver?

The short answer: silver runs through Costa Rican coinage from the founding of the mint until the late 1920s. The oldest circulating silver is the .903 fine real coinage of the 1830s–1850s. The decimal peso pieces of 1864–1875 dropped to .750 fine. Under the colón, the larger 50 and 10 céntimos were .900 fine before 1917, then fineness was cut to .500 during the First World War and to .650 for the last silver 25 céntimos of 1924. After the mid-1920s the small change went to copper-nickel and, later, base metals. Gold spans an even longer period, from the escudos of the 1850s through the colón gold of 1897–1900.

Era	Metal & Fineness	What to Look For
Federal Republic real (1824–1850s)	Silver .903 / gold escudo .875	8 Reales, ½–8 Escudos, sun-over-volcanoes design
Transitional peso (1850–1864)	Silver .903	1/16, 1/8, 1/4 Peso (real equivalents)
Decimal peso (1864–1896)	Silver .750 / gold peso .875	5–50 Centavos silver; 1–20 Pesos gold
Colón silver (1897–1924)	.900, later .500 and .650	50, 25, 10 Céntimos
Colón gold (1897–1900)	Gold .900	2, 5, 10, 20 Colones (Columbus)
c. 1925–present	None	Copper-nickel and base-metal coins

Modern circulating coins carry no silver. The colones you would receive as change today are base metal. Any precious metal in recent issues is confined to collector commemoratives sold at a premium.

A Brief History of Costa Rican Coinage

The Casa Nacional de Moneda de Costa Rica began striking in San José in 1828 and operated until 1947. Its first substantial silver was the 8 Reales of 1831, issued under the Federal Republic of Central America: a radiant sun rising behind a row of five volcanoes on the obverse, a tree dividing the value on the reverse, and the motto Libre Cresca Fecundo. The mintmark CR and the fineness “10 Ds 20 Gs” (.902777, or .903 fine) appear at the base of the reverse. Two assayers signed the coinage that followed — Juan Barth (JB) worked from 1846 to 1862, and Guillermo Witting (GW) from 1850 to 1890.

Currency reforms came in stages. The real gave way to a peso in 1850, and a set of transitional 1/16, 1/8, and 1/4 peso coins was struck to bridge the eighths-based real system and the coming decimal one — a 1/8 peso equalled one real. Full decimalization arrived in 1864 with silver centavos and gold pesos. Then, by a law of October 1896, Costa Rica adopted the gold standard and a new unit named for Christopher Columbus (Cristóbal Colón): the colón, divided into 100 céntimos. Gold 2, 5, 10, and 20 colones followed in 1897–1900.

Costa Rica frequently contracted work out. The National Mint could not always meet demand for subsidiary coinage, so twentieth-century silver céntimos and later base-metal issues were struck under contract at foreign mints, including Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Birmingham (the Heaton mint) in England. That is why many Costa Rican coins of this period carry no domestic mintmark.

Silver Coins: Reales, Pesos, and Colón Céntimos

Federal Republic and transitional silver (1831–1855)

The 8 Reales of 1831 is the cornerstone piece: .903 fine, 27.07 g, with an ASW of 0.7859 oz — close to a full ounce of silver in a large, historic crown-sized coin. It carries a heavy collector premium over melt and should never be scrapped.

The transitional peso coins of 1850–1855 kept the old .903 fineness but were denominated as fractions of a peso, each equal to a familiar real value. They share the flagged coat-of-arms obverse and tree reverse.

1/4 Peso (= 2 Reales), 1850–1855: .903, ~6.0 g — ASW 0.1742 oz
1/8 Peso (= 1 Real), 1850–1855: .903, 3.0 g — ASW 0.0871 oz
1/16 Peso (= ½ Real), 1850–1855: .903, ~1.5 g — ASW 0.0435 oz

Decimal peso silver (1864–1875)

The decimal centavos were struck in .750 fine silver — lower than the earlier real coinage, so a decimal 25 centavos holds noticeably less silver than its heft suggests. The 25 centavos and 50 centavos are the collectible sizes; the small 5 and 10 centavos are thin and easily worn.

50 Centavos, 1865–1875: .750, 12.5 g — ASW 0.3014 oz
25 Centavos, 1864–1875: .750, 6.25 g — ASW 0.1507 oz
10 Centavos, 1865–1875: .750, 2.5 g — ASW 0.0603 oz
5 Centavos, 1864–1875: .750, 1.25 g — ASW 0.0301 oz

Colón-era silver céntimos (1902–1924)

The colón brought back higher fineness, then reduced it again under wartime pressure. These are the coins the Costa Rica calculator prices directly.

50 Céntimos, 1902–1914: .900, 10.0 g — ASW 0.2894 oz
10 Céntimos, 1905–1914: .900, 2.0 g — ASW 0.0579 oz
10 Céntimos, 1917: .500, 2.0 g — ASW 0.0322 oz (wartime debasement)
25 Céntimos, 1924: .650, 3.45 g — ASW 0.0721 oz (the last silver céntimos)

The 1917 10 céntimos is the tell-tale of the era: same size as the earlier .900 coin, but half the silver. Read the date and the fineness, not just the denomination.

Gold Coins: Escudos, Pesos, and Colones

Costa Rican gold falls into three groups. All of it trades well above melt as scarce, low-mintage type, but the metal content is still the floor on value.

Escudo gold (1850–1864)

Struck at 21 karats (.875 fine) under the assayers Barth and Witting, the escudos show a reclining female figure with the independence date. Weights vary slightly by year, so treat these as close approximations.

2 Escudos, 1850–1863: .875, ~6.3 g — AGW 0.1772 oz
1 Escudo, 1850–1855: .875, ~3.1 g — AGW 0.0872 oz
½ Escudo, 1850–1864: .875, ~1.55 g — AGW 0.0436 oz

The Federal Republic also struck larger 4 and 8 escudos (“onza”) gold in the same .875 standard; genuine examples are rare and firmly numismatic.

Decimal gold pesos (1864–1876)

The decimal system placed gold, not silver, at the top of the denomination ladder. The little 1 Peso — 1.5253 g of .875 gold, just 14 mm across — is one of the smallest circulating gold coins of the Americas. The series scaled up on the same standard, roughly 1.525 g of gross weight per peso.

20 Pesos, 1864–1876: .875, ~30.51 g — AGW 0.8582 oz (rare, high value)
10 Pesos, 1864–1876: .875, ~15.25 g — AGW 0.4291 oz
5 Pesos, 1864–1876: .875, ~7.63 g — AGW 0.2145 oz
2 Pesos, 1864–1876: .875, ~3.05 g — AGW 0.0858 oz
1 Peso, 1864–1868: .875, 1.5253 g — AGW 0.0429 oz

Colón gold (1897–1900)

The gold-standard reform produced Costa Rica’s best-known gold: the colón series in .900 fine gold, with the 2 colones showing a bust of Christopher Columbus. These were the last gold coins struck for circulation.

20 Colones, 1897–1900: .900, 15.5517 g — AGW 0.4500 oz
10 Colones, 1897–1900: .900, 7.7759 g — AGW 0.2250 oz
5 Colones, 1899–1900: .900, 3.8879 g — AGW 0.1125 oz
2 Colones, 1897–1900: .900, 1.5552 g — AGW 0.0450 oz

For live gold melt figures, run these weights through the gold melt calculator.

Complete Denomination Reference

Every major Costa Rican silver and gold coin in one table. To get the current melt value, multiply the fine-weight column by today’s spot price for that metal, or use the live calculator linked below.

Denomination	Years	Metal / Fineness	Gross Weight	Fine Weight (oz t)
8 Reales	1831	Silver .903	27.07 g	0.7859
1/4 Peso (2 Reales)	1850–1855	Silver .903	~6.0 g	0.1742
1/8 Peso (1 Real)	1850–1855	Silver .903	3.0 g	0.0871
1/16 Peso (½ Real)	1850–1855	Silver .903	~1.5 g	0.0435
50 Centavos	1865–1875	Silver .750	12.5 g	0.3014
25 Centavos	1864–1875	Silver .750	6.25 g	0.1507
10 Centavos	1865–1875	Silver .750	2.5 g	0.0603
5 Centavos	1864–1875	Silver .750	1.25 g	0.0301
50 Céntimos	1902–1914	Silver .900	10.0 g	0.2894
25 Céntimos	1924	Silver .650	3.45 g	0.0721
10 Céntimos	1905–1914	Silver .900	2.0 g	0.0579
10 Céntimos	1917	Silver .500	2.0 g	0.0322
½ Escudo	1850–1864	Gold .875	~1.55 g	0.0436
1 Escudo	1850–1855	Gold .875	~3.1 g	0.0872
2 Escudos	1850–1863	Gold .875	~6.3 g	0.1772
1 Peso (gold)	1864–1868	Gold .875	1.5253 g	0.0429
2 Pesos (gold)	1864–1876	Gold .875	~3.05 g	0.0858
5 Pesos (gold)	1864–1876	Gold .875	~7.63 g	0.2145
10 Pesos (gold)	1864–1876	Gold .875	~15.25 g	0.4291
20 Pesos (gold)	1864–1876	Gold .875	~30.51 g	0.8582
2 Colones	1897–1900	Gold .900	1.5552 g	0.0450
5 Colones	1899–1900	Gold .900	3.8879 g	0.1125
10 Colones	1897–1900	Gold .900	7.7759 g	0.2250
20 Colones	1897–1900	Gold .900	15.5517 g	0.4500

→ Live melt values with current spot price: Costa Rica Coin Calculator

How to Calculate Melt Value

Every melt value comes from one formula:

Melt value = fine weight (oz t) × spot price ($/oz t)

The fine weight — ASW for silver, AGW for gold — is the number that matters, because it already combines the coin’s gross weight and its fineness. Spot moves; the fine weight never does.

Silver example: a .900 fine 50 céntimos (1902–1914) has an ASW of 0.2894 oz. If silver spot is $30/oz, melt = 0.2894 × $30 = $8.68. At $50/oz the same coin is worth 0.2894 × $50 = $14.47.

Working out fine weight yourself: fine oz = grams × fineness ÷ 31.1035 (the number of grams in a troy ounce). So the 50 céntimos: 10.0 g × 0.900 ÷ 31.1035 = 0.2894 oz. The same math with a gold coin and the gold spot price gives its gold melt value.

For current spot prices and up-to-date melt values across every Costa Rican denomination, use the Costa Rica Coin Melt Value Calculator.

How to Identify Costa Rican Silver Coins

Read the fineness on the reverse. Nineteenth-century coins state their standard in the old dineros/granos notation at the base of the reverse — “10 Ds 20 Gs” is .903, “9 Ds” is .750. The colón coins mark fineness more conventionally. This is the fastest way to tell a .900 fine 10 céntimos from the .500 fine 1917 issue.

Check the date against the fineness table. The same denomination changed silver content over time: 10 céntimos went from .900 (1905–1914) to .500 (1917), and 25 céntimos ended at .650 in 1924. Two coins of identical size can hold very different amounts of silver.

Look for the sun-and-volcanoes and tree designs. The early reales and transitional peso coins share a coat-of-arms or radiant-sun obverse with a tree on the reverse — distinctive and easy to attribute once you have seen one.

Weigh anything uncertain. A genuine 8 reales sits at about 27 g; a decimal 25 centavos at 6.25 g. A coin well under its listed weight is either worn, a lightweight later type, or a fake.

Use a magnet as a quick screen. Silver and gold are both non-magnetic. Anything that sticks is base metal.

Buying and Selling

The scarce end is numismatic, not bullion. The 8 reales, the transitional peso fractions, all of the escudo and peso gold, and the colón gold are low-mintage coins that sell for multiples of their metal value. Have them attributed and, for valuable pieces, graded by PCGS or NGC before selling. Do not melt them.

The colón-era silver céntimos are the closest thing to junk silver. Circulated 50 and 10 céntimos trade nearer their melt value and are an accessible way to own Costa Rican silver by weight, though even these carry a small collector premium in better grades.

Gold peso and colón coins are traded by weight and rarity together. A common-date 10 colones prices off its 0.225 oz gold content plus a numismatic premium; scarce dates and high grades command much more. Heritage Auctions and Stack’s Bowers regularly handle Costa Rican gold, and their archives are a useful price reference.

Watch for fakes and altered dates on the key pieces. The 8 reales, the gold peso, and the higher colón gold have all been counterfeited. Buy certified examples of the expensive coins, and weigh and measure anything raw.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Costa Rican coins contain silver? Coins from the founding of the mint through the mid-1920s: the .903 fine reales and transitional peso fractions, the .750 fine decimal centavos of 1864–1875, and the colón-era 50, 25, and 10 céntimos (.900, then .650 and .500). Coins struck after about 1925 are base metal.

How much silver is in a Costa Rican 50 céntimos? The 1902–1914 issue is .900 fine and weighs 10.0 g, giving an ASW of 0.2894 oz — the largest-silver colón-era coin. Multiply that by the current silver spot price for its melt value.

Are Costa Rican gold colones worth more than their gold? Yes. The 2, 5, 10, and 20 colones (.900 fine, 1897–1900) are scarce type coins that sell above melt, with premiums rising sharply for the better dates and grades. The AGW figures in the table above are the metal floor, not the market price.

Why is my 1917 10 céntimos worth less silver than an earlier one? Fineness was cut during the First World War. The 1905–1914 coin is .900 fine (0.0579 oz), while the same-sized 1917 coin is only .500 fine (0.0322 oz) — roughly 45% less silver.

Is the little Costa Rican 1 peso gold? Yes. The decimal 1 peso of 1864–1868 is .875 fine gold, 1.5253 g, with an AGW of 0.0429 oz. It is often mistaken for a silver coin because of its tiny size, but it is one of the smallest gold coins of the Americas.

How do I find the melt value at today’s price? Take the fine weight from the reference table and multiply by the current spot price, or use the live calculator, which updates automatically.

Calculate the current melt value of your Costa Rican coins → Costa Rica Coin Melt Value Calculator

Updated live with the current silver spot price. All denominations by year, fineness, and fine weight.