10 Reales Copper Pattern

Paraguay in 1867 was midway through the War of the Triple Alliance — the most destructive conflict in South American history, ultimately killing an estimated 60–70% of Paraguay's total population. That the government of Francisco Solano López was commissioning copper pattern coinage while facing simultaneous invasion by Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay says something about either extraordinary administrative inertia or deliberate optimism. No regular-issue 10 Reales copper coinage ever entered circulation.

Patterns from this period are presumed to have been struck in very small numbers, possibly abroad, as Paraguay's domestic minting infrastructure was essentially nonexistent.