Costa Rica (Central American Republic), 1 real, 1849 JB, very rare, NGC AU details / rev spot removed, ex-OBrien. KM-21a. Unlike the 1849 "Madonna and child" type under Costa Rica as its own republic (see lot 863 in this auction), this final date of the sun-and-mountains C.A.R. type is extremely elusive, at least without a lion countermark, with fewer than ten known and only one other (that we know of) sold publicly in the past decade or so, this one lightly toned and fairly well struck except for a hairline edge-split, with evidence of scraping in field between CREZCA and FECUNDO. Pedigreed to the John OBrien Collection (stated on label) and with his tag.
