Undated (circa 1889 AD). Struck from the Type VII/VI dies used to countermark coins. Obv: arms with COSTA RICA legend above. Rev: lion with CR below for San Jose mint with HABILITADA POR EL GOBIERNO legend. Edge: milled. See KM# 67, etc for coins bearing this type VI countermark (as reverse above) and KM# 136, etc for coins bearing the type VII obverse (as above) and the later form reverse countermarks. 0.16 grams. The lion countermark (with 5mm inner circle) alone was applied to English silver shilling and sixpence coins (from George III to Victoria) and on coins of the Central American Republic in the period 1849-1857; The type VII arms, in conjunction with a type VII lion (7mm inner cirlce) was applied from 1889; this hybrid dies 'coin' piece was presumably struck at the Heaton mint so might be a test or presentation piece.

Extremely fine. Extremely rare; interesting example of a 'coin' struck from dies made for use as countermarks.