20 Centésimos de Real

First Uruguayan coins were minted at Montevideo on 1840 to 1855. After that date no more coins were minted in the country.

Since the mintage was done in a nearly hand-crafted way, there are several variants on each year; they were catalogued by Marcos Silveira Antunez, but not described in main catalogues.

Year list shows the variants, identified with Silveira's number (SA) he uses 3 levels instead of 2, first is the coin number (different on each year), the second is the variant, and the third describes the alignment (1= coin; 2= medal; 3= 90º or 270º, and 4=rest of alignments).

Mintage is estimated, because there is not a record of the quantities issued, and only a small amount of the original contract were issued.

On 1840, there are 6 variants, results of combinations of 4 different obverse (A1, A2, A3, A4), 4 reverse (R1, R2, R3, A4). All coins are medal alignment.
Obverses 1840

Red lines show differences on position of rays with relation to lettering; blue lines show rays that have a different length

Reverses 1840

Differences
1. 15 lines above "20", 58 total lines in circle (R1), 12 and 49 lines in circle (R2), 17 and 66 lines in circle (R3), 11 and 46 lines (R4); there are also differences on the position of the points of the ribbon.
2. bent leaf long and open (R1 and R4), bent leaf short and closed (R2), bent leaf long and closed (R3)

On 1843, there are 4 variants, results of combinations of 2 different obverse (A1, A2), 4 reverse (R1, R2, R3, R4) and alignment.
Obverses 1843

Differences on position of rays with relation to lettering; different length of ray (blue line on A2)
NOTE: there are also coins minted with broken die on 3.2.1 (shown with red line on A1)

Reverses 1843

Differences
1. 12 lines above "20", 49 total lines in circle (R1), 17 and 66 lines in circle (R2), 15 and 58 lines in circle (R3), 9 and 42 lines (R4); there are also differences on the position of the points of the ribbon.
2. bent leaf short and closed (R1), bent leaf long and closed (R2), bent leaf long and open (R3), bent leaf long and very open
3. there is 1 extra leaf (R4)
4. missing leaf (R4)

On 1844, there are 2 variants ON alignment.

Images courtesy of Marcos Silvera Antúnez