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1 Peso Santa Maria
| Issuer | Cuba |
|---|---|
| Year | 1981 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Cuban Peso (moneda nacional, 1914-date) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | The Cuban national coat of arms occupies the central field, featuring the quartered shield with a golden key between two landmasses in the upper portion and a royal palm tree at centre, surmounted by a Phrygian cap atop a fasces, and flanked by two olive-oak branches tied at the base. The legend REPUBLICA DE CUBA arcs along the upper periphery in Latin capitals, while the denomination 1 PESO is inscribed in large letters along the lower rim. Two five-pointed stars appear in the left and right fields at mid-height. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | A detailed left-facing profile view of the caravel Santa Maria under full sail dominates the central field, rendered with fine engraved rigging, masts, and billowing sails. The legend DESCUBRIMIENTO DE AMERICA curves along the upper periphery, with the date 1981 and a mintmark appearing at the upper right of the field. The name SANTA MARIA is inscribed in the lower exergue, identifying the vessel. |
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| Additional information |
Cuba issued this coin as part of a broader series of collector-oriented pieces produced through the 1980s, a period when the Castro government actively used commemorative coinage as a hard-currency earning tool — sold abroad for convertible foreign exchange while domestic circulation ran on a parallel peso system. The Santa María series tied into the lead-up to the 1992 quincentenary of Columbus's first voyage, with Cuban state mint programs building inventory nearly a decade in advance.
The copper-nickel strikes were produced alongside silver versions of the same design, intended for different export markets.