July 2012 - Cuban Numismatic Association
Transcription
July 2012 - Cuban Numismatic Association
CUBAN NUMISMATIC ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 3-12 IS A 501(c) 3 ORGANIZATION (see newsletter 2-07) JULY 2012 WWW.CUBANUMIS.COM Frank Putrow (04) – President Rudy Valentin (09) – Vice President Editor – Frank Putrow Richard Schemitsch (11) – Secretary Fxputrow@aol.com Robert Freeman (04) – Treasurer Board of Directors – Joseph Algazi (11), Richard Becker (04), Jesus Inguanzo (08), Stan Klein (04), Emilio M. Ortiz (04). Parliamentarian – Larry Casey. Chairman Communications Committee – Stan Klein. Chairman Nomination Committee – Vacant. Chairman Finance Committee - Emilio M. Ortiz. Associate Director/Research – Enrique Cayado Cuban Numismatic Association is a member of: Florida United Numismatists (FUN) #19059 – www.funtopic.com American Numismatic Association (ANA) #C213521 – www.money.org American Numismatic Society (ANS) #11455 – www.numismatics.org Latin American Paper Money Society (LANSA) #1481 – www.lansa.bz NEWSLETTER INDEX Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page 2 3 4 7 8 10 13 14 17 19 22 CNA at Cuba Nostalgia – Miami – May 18/20, 2012 Member Profile eBay Restrictions on Published Grade Cuban Bordello Tokens QUIZ. Answer on page 9 Downfall of Cuban Casinos FROM THE KITCHEN CNA NEWSLETTER ARTICLE INDEX. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. WANT ADS. AUCTION RESULTS 1 FOR OUR SPANISH SPEAKING MEMBERS AND FRIENDS. SALUDOS SOCIOS Y AMIGOS NUMISMATICOS Bienvenidos a nuestra Asociación Numismática Cubana. Esta es nuestra primera comunicación en el idioma Español para beneficio de nuestros visitantes y socios de habla hispana, y aquellos de habla inglesa que deseen practicar su español. Nuestra Asociación esta formada por numismáticos de todas partes del mundo que tienen el interés común de estudiar, coleccionar, y compartir conocimientos y amistad con otros sobre la Numismática de la Isla de Cuba. La asociación está afiliada con American Numismatic Association (ANA), American Numismatic Society (ANS), Latin American Paper Money Society (LANSA) y Florida United Numismatists (FUN). Somos una entidad sin fines de lucro y totalmente apolítica, fundada el 9 de Enero de 2004. uestros objetivo es el estudio de monedas, billetes, fichas, medallas, bonos, fichas de casino, documentos y, en general, todo lo referente a la Numismática de Cuba. Nos reunimos anualmente durante la convención de invierno de Florida Numismatic Association (FUN), usualmente en Orlando, Florida. La cuota anual de membresía regular es solamente $ 10.00 US. El propósito de esta comunicación en español es invitar a todos los numismáticos de habla hispana a comunicarse con nosotros, si así lo desean y prefieren, en este idioma. También queremos explorar opiniones de los socios sobre comunicaciones en español. Por favor envíen sus ideas, preguntas y comentarios a Frank Putrow, (Presidente) Fxputrow@aol.com o al que suscribe, Rudy Valentín, (V.P.) Numisrev@verizon.net (Nota: El nombre legal de nuestra Asociación es “Cuban Numismatic Association”, somos una Asociación legalmente constituida el los E.U.A. y no estamos afiliados a ninguna entidad de ningún otro país cuyo nombre en español pueda ser similar.) CNA AT ANNUAL CUBA NOSTALGIA!!!! Friday, May 18 thru Sunday, May 20, 2012. Miami Fair Expo, Tamiami Park, Coral Way and SW 112 Ave. CNA had a table and display at Cuba Nostalgia 2012 in Miami, FL. Cuba Nostalgia is an annual weekend filled with exhibitions, food, music and dance. Many CNA members visited the CNA table, and 6 new members joined the CNA. The most enthusiastic attendees were the native Cubans, who identified and explained the Cuban currency and coinage to their children and grandchildren who were with them. Their knowledge and personal stories were very inspiring. Mr. Fernando Iglesias, President of Cuban Philatelic Society of America (CPSA), stopped by the CNA table and discussed the similarities of the CPSA and CNA. We agreed that he would include CNA information in the CPSA newsletter, and the CNA will reciprocate. The CPSA ad in on page 21. 2 L-R: B.J. Geissinger, D. Couto, L. Casey, R. Valentin, D. Becker, Guest, J. Inguanzo, and A. Rodriguez. L-R: Carmen Putrow and Rudy Valentin DISPLAYS: Rare Cuban currency, various certified Cuban coins, Cuban 5 and 20 Centavo sets, rare Cuban note, and set of notes. Member Profile Since the membership of CNA is so diverse, and separated geographically, it may be feasibly impossible for our members to meet and get to know one another. This section will highlight a member, or members, in each newsletter, providing a brief background of the person(s), so the membership may know a little about the person(s). It will be 100% voluntary. The officers and board members were first to provide their background, followed by the charter members, then the regular members. The CNA is privileged is have members of various ethnic, economic, political, and educational backgrounds. Among the mix are: business executives, lawyers, medical doctors, and PhD’s in religion, education, science, and government. The core of the CNA remains the “average” person, with numismatic interests, but it is interesting to know that such a variety of collectors are on our membership rolls, such as: –- Arkady Nakhimovsky, Charter Member # 54 3 Member Profile: I was born and raised in Russia (formerly USSR). From my early childhood, I have been fascinated with world history, geography and politics. As a small child, I vividly remember the events of the 1959 Cuban revolution, because it was widely covered in the USSR, as well as the election of JFK. I remember reading a lot about Cuba, its sugar cane plantations and beautiful beaches. I dreamt about going to Cuba one day - the dream I am yet to fulfill. I started collecting coins, stamps and other historical artifacts when I was about 9-10 years old. I remember finding Russian empire silver and copper coins in the ground, attics and cellars; and joining collectors’ clubs and swapping coins and stamps with fellow collectors. I also had acquired religious and military items, such as icons, crosses, swords, military insignia, uniforms and medals. I joined an archaeology club and was dreaming of finding an important world treasure. By the time I reached teenage years, my interest in collecting faded, but I was still a history buff and wanted to be a historian. I was talked out of becoming a historian by my parents, who convinced me that in a politicized society, the historical truth frequently falls victim to the ideology and that, unless I wanted to become a liar, I should choose another profession. I became a computer programmer. In 1979 I was able to immigrate to the USA. Couple of years later, my much younger brother told me that he had a small collection of coins that he was no longer interested in, and asked me if I wanted them. I took it, and this is how my childhood interest has been resurrected. I’ve become a very active collector of all world coins. I am especially interested in modern commemorative Cuban coins. I like them because there are a wide variety of topics. Since there is not much information available about them, to study these coins, I have been buying all I could find. As a result, I was able to identify a few varieties, which I have shared with Cuban collectors through the Krause World Coin Catalog. I also became a part time coin dealer. I continue to buy (and sell) all Cuban commemoratives. I live in New Jersey, recently became a grandfather, and hope my grandchildren will get interested in coins. MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT ISSUED BY eBAY ON MAY 3, 2012. “eBay will only be accepting coins marked a certain grade if by PCGS or NGC starting May 30. All other coins listed on eBay, slabbed or not, will not be able to include a numeric grade”. Varied reactions in response to new eBay coin listing policy. ANACS, ICG implementing compliance plans; SEGS is undecided. By Erik Martin and Paul Gilkes Coin World Staff | May 03, 2012 7:35 a.m. Article first published in 2012-05-14, Market Updates section of Coin World. Under a new eBay policy effective May 30, sellers of graded and encapsulated coins such as this ANACS-graded Franklin half dollar, left, and ICG-graded Peace dollar, right, will not be able to list the coins‟ numeric grades (in this instance, MS-65 and MS-64) in the auction listing‟s title or item description. Both ANACS and ICG are working to achieve compliance with eBay‟s new standards for grading services. Internet auction company eBay announced April 17 that it will implement changes to its coin listing policy that will restrict the use of numeric grades in listings and what coins can be sold without being graded by one of the grading services that meet eBay‟s standards, and the policy will introduce new criteria for grading services recognized by the firm. 4 In a press release and in an email sent to eBay account holders, the firm stated that the modifications to its policy are “to provide shoppers and sellers with greater confidence in their coins transactions.” This change in eBay‟s policy follows on the heels of other recent eBay initiatives, including a ban on sales of replica coins on the website, a move that became effective Feb. 20. Beginning May 30, all new listings and relistings for coins being sold on the company‟s website at eBay must meet the following requirements: * “Listings for coins will be allowed to include a numeric grade in their listing title or item description only if the coin grading company providing the grade meets certain objective standards. Coins that haven‟t been graded by such companies will be considered raw or ungraded.” * “For U.S. coins only, grading by companies meeting these standards will now be required for all coins listed with a Buy It Now, reserve, or start price of $2,500 and above.” In the press release, Brooke Segaran, eBay‟s senior manager of collectibles, is quoted as saying, “The coin industry is extremely dynamic and exciting, and eBay‟s goal is to continue to offer new ways for collectors to connect with dealers in the most trusted experience possible.” The auction company worked with John Albanese, founder of Certified Acceptance Corp. and Numismatic Consumer Alliance, to develop the standards for third-party grading services that must be met for listing coins as “certified” on eBay. Under the new rules, grading services must meet the following criteria: * The company must have graded at least 50,000 pre-1956 coins. * The grading service must possess a live, online population report. * The company must employ at least three graders on its staff who are considered “numismatic experts” (according to the eBay policy, “an individual who has been a full-time numismatist for at least five years”). At least one of the three graders should be a member of Professional Numismatists Guild and all three should be members of the American Numismatic Association. * The firm must have a stated buyback guarantee in writing for coins later determined to be counterfeit, damaged, over- or mis-graded, or misattributed. * Coins being encapsulated must be kept in “unique, state-of-the-art, tamper-resistant holders with anticounterfeiting measures” (for example, holograms). Archival materials should be used wherever possible. * The company must enable online verification of unique serial numbers on its holders. Currently, eBay states that only Numismatic Guaranty Corp. and Professional Coin Grading Service have met the new standards. However, eBay stated that other third-party grading services that meet these standards are encouraged to contact the company for future eligibility. Coin World requested from eBay clarification on certain aspects of the new policy, namely: Why did eBay select “pre-1956 coins” as a cut-off date, as opposed to other dates? Will eBay exempt from the $2,500 rule expensive modern coins or sets of coins that aren‟t generally certified and are most commonly sold in original U.S. Mint packaging? Were there concerns with coins from other grading services (as opposed to PCGS and NGC encapsulations) that precipitated the change? Was the American Numismatic Association or other coin-related organizations/businesses consulted or did they have any input in this decision? As of the time this issue of Coin World went to press April 27, eBay officials had not answered these inquiries. ANACS speeds registry plan. The new policy elicited responses from several third-party services that the policy would exclude if in place now — ANACS, Independent Coin Graders and Sovereign Entities Grading Service. Paul DeFelice, vice president of client relations and marketing for third-party grading service ANACS (www.anacs.com), sent an email to ANACS customers stating: “Many of you have contacted us about the email sent out by eBay regarding changes in their coin listing policies that specifically impact sellers of ANACS graded coins. We want to assure that you that we are absolutely confident that this issue will be addressed by the May 30 deadline that eBay has established. 5 We would also like to take this opportunity to address some of the specific questions that have been raised, and to share with you what we are working on, which we believe will ultimately be of benefit to you.” In its email to sellers of coins, eBay mentions „certain objective standards‟ that are required of coin grading companies. We were not made aware of these standards until April 17th — the very same day that eBay chose to notify its sellers of the change. Now that we have been able to review these standards, it is our contention that we exceed every standard that has been set, with the exception of what we consider to be a single technicality. “Of the six standards that we have seen, we feel it is important to stress that we exceed any standards set with regard to the expertise of our graders or the quality of our service. “Of the technicality mentioned earlier: eBay is requiring grading companies to „enable online verification of unique serial numbers.‟ There are two things we would like to make clear: 1) ANACS does offer verification of unique serial numbers, but has not made that service available online as of yet, and 2) ANACS is, in fact, in the final stages of making serial number verification available on our web platform. “ANACS appreciates that eBay is taking steps to protect the coin community from the actions of unscrupulous sellers and questionable grading practices. It has been our company‟s mission to protect the integrity of our hobby for forty years! As stated earlier, we have no doubt that this issue will be addressed in such a way that you will not be affected by this policy change, and we are hopeful that we can work with eBay to do even more to protect both buyers and sellers of coins.” DeFelice met with eBay officials April 19 during the Central States Numismatic Society show in Schaumburg, Ill., and assured them that the grading service would be eBay compliant by the May 30 deadline. As well, he said ANACS officials support eBay‟s coin listing initiative. DeFelice said the majority of the criteria demanded by the impending eBay policy implementation involves minor technology upgrades. DeFelice said that information from the firm‟s registry by serial number for each coin the grading service has certified and encapsulated is currently available from ANACS by telephone during normal business hours, but not online. ANACS had planned to roll out the online registry sometime late this summer or early fall, but the schedule for 24-hour registry access has been moved up to meet the May 30 eBay compliance deadline, DeFelice said. ICG addressing new criteria: A message at the front page of the Independent Coin Graders website (www.icgcoin.com) states: “In recent days, we have received numerous telephone calls and e-mails from our clients questioning the eBay announcement that ICG graded coins will no longer be listed with the grade in the listing title or description as of May 30, 2012. We received notice of this change on April 17, the same day that our clients were notified. We are presently in the process of addressing the standards and requirements set forth by eBay. “We are confident that we will be able to meet these standards by the May 30 deadline. Our graders are among the most experienced numismatists in the country. ICG-graded and listed coins have been sold on eBay for many years and we look forward to continuing our relationship with eBay in the future. “ICG takes great pride in the level of service and expertise we provide to our clients and the industry, and we will continue to do so for many years to come. “Thank you to all our clients who have shared their concerns with us regarding this issue. Rest assured that we will do everything possible to resolve it promptly.” SEGS expects negative impact: Larry Briggs, an Ohio dealer and owner of Sovereign Entities Grading Service in Tennessee (www.segsgrading.com), said he didn‟t appreciate the firm being considered as a “low-tier” grading service when he believes the collecting community considers his firm among the top five third-party grading services. 6 As a dealer, Briggs said he does little posting of items on sale on eBay, but buys and sells coins that are encapsulated in holders from multiple firms, as well as raw coins. He said he and SEGS are noted for their variety attributions. Briggs believes that SEGS will be indirectly impacted by eBay‟s policy updates because of the effect the policy will have on collectors who use SEGS and offer such encapsulated coins on eBay as either a part-time or full-time venture. Briggs expects there will possibly be a slowdown in the number of SEGS-encapsulated coins listed on eBay. Briggs did not indicate what steps he would take at SEGS to make the service compliant with the new eBay policies and thus permit the numerical grade of SEGS-graded coins to appear in the title and description of listings. Officials at eBay said while the new policy currently would exclude SEGS coins from being listed with a numerical grade or adjectival-equivalent description alluding to a numerical grade, the coins could still be listed and illustrated showing the grading insert that carries the numerical grade. The title and description are the elements that eBay buyers use in their searches to locate specific numismatic items. Impact on market? How eBay‟s new policy will impact the market is the primary question that remains to be answered, and is the question pressing on the minds of many hobbyists and dealers who regularly use the auction service. Collectors posting on message boards such as Collectors Universe (forums.collectors.com) and on eBay‟s discussion board (forums.ebay.com) displayed a wide range of reactions to the new policy announcement, with some expressing support of eBay‟s actions — or at least the intent behind the policy change — while others expressed frustration, particularly those who buy or sell coins predominantly from grading services other than PCGS and NGC. UPDATE: eBay has added ANACS and ICG to the “approved” listing of certain grades as of June 1, 2012. Question? What is the obsession of collecting Cuban bordello tokens? Your editor has attended many coin shows, both as dealer and buyer. Items that seem to attract attention are Cuban bordello tokens. As a dealer, I have been asked many times if I had any of the tokens for sale. I have seen a few on eBay, and they sell for about $100. On March 25, 2012, a bordello token (shown below) sold for $122.50. It was marked Mme RITA, CALLE ROCA on the obverse and TODAS LAS HORAS SON ALEGRES on the reverse. Ebay # 220972685761 sold for $122.50 A Cuba token (shown below), which appears to be from a bordello, was recently sold for $105.00. It was listed on eBay # 261036696904. 7 An identical token (eBay #190666020687) sold for $152.50 on August 18, 2012. THEN, this appears on eBay! Seller lists coin as Cuba 1946 5 centavo “error” coin, and claims that is has been cancelled. Seller lists for $1000 OBO. It still remains on eBay, and has been for about three months. Editor would appreciate any input from our readers, since it appears to be very unusual. Ebay # 270904152891. 1898 20 Centavo. Listed in Krause Unusual World Coins as X3 M14, under 1898 Contribution Issues. The CNA would appreciate any information regarding this coin. The only reference your editor can locate is by Cyril Trvalec, who says: “I have seen 2 of these for sale in last 15 years or so (even though T. Lismore says in The coinage of Cuba 1870 to Date, that only 2 have been reported. One has been sold at an auction for several thousand at the beginning of 1990’s and other was listed in World Coin News about a year ago (2008) for about 700.00US. Of course, it was gone by the time I called”. QUIZ: Presidential elections are held every four years in the USA. Most are filled with rhetoric and accusations, but in the end, transfer of power is smooth and respectful. Cuba citizens had their first presidential election in 1902. HOW MANY PRESIDENTS OFFICIALLY HELD OFFICE IN CUBA SINCE 1902 to January 1959? A. 10-11? B. 12-13? C. 14-15? D. 16-17? or E. 18-19? ANSWER ON PAGE 9. IMPORTANT ENHANCEMENT TO CNA WEBSITE!!! Most of our CNA members are aware of the Listing of CNA Members on our CNA website (www.cubanumis.com). The listing includes members who wish to be listed, and contains name, member number, and date of membership. Any member, who has a website, may now have their personal or business website listed under their name. Simply email your website to Frank Putrow at Fxputrow@aol.com. If you are not “on line”, you may call at 727 5317337, or send a note to Frank Putrow, 2175 Oak Grove Dr, Clearwater, FL. 33764. 8 THE CUBAN NUMISMATIC ASSOCIATION IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CUBA 1ST REPUBLIC 1915-1958 TYPE SET BOOK. The book is 8 1/2” X 11 ½”, weighs 17 oz. and includes a booklet about the brief history of Cuban Numismatics. The book was designed for those “TYPE SET” collectors, who are not interested in collecting all the coins that make up the Cuban mintages. The book was designed for those “TYPE SET” collectors, who are not interested in collecting all the coins that make up the Cuban mintages. The book is now available for purchase. Paid up CNA members may order a maximum of two for $14 each, which includes Florida sales tax (where applicable), and S&H. International, excluding Canada – add $5for additional mailing costs. Non-CNA members cost is $17 each. For ordering information, visit www.cubanumis.com or contact Frank Putrow at Fxputrow@aol.com or 727 5317337. ONLY 31 BOOKS ARE LEFT. NO CURRENT PLANS TO REPRINT. ANSWER TO QUIZ ON PAGE 8: There have been 16 Cuban presidents who have officially served as president of Cuba from 1902 to 1960. They were: 1. Tomas Estrada Palma 05-20-02 to 09-28-06 (workers revolt) Governor Charles E. Magoon, appointed by US president. 10-13-06 to 01-28-09 2. Jose Miguel Gomez 01-28-09 to 05-20-13 3. Mario Garcia Menocal 05-20-13 to 05-20-21 4. Alfredo Zayas y Alfonso 05-20-21 to 05-20-25 5. Geraldo Machado Morales 05-20-25 to 08-13-33 6. Carlos Manuel de Cespedes y Quesada 08-13-33 to 09-06-33 (Machado forced) 7. Ramon Grau San Martin 09-06-33 to 01-15-34 (Batista forced) 8. Carlos Hevia y de los Reyes Gavilian (provisional) 01-15-34 to 01-18-34 (Military forced) 9. Manuel Marquez Sterling Loret de Mola (acting) 01-15-34 to 01-15-34 (few hours) 10. Carlos Mendieta Montefur 01-15-34 to 12-11-35 (resigned) 9 11. Jose Agripino Barnet y Vinageras (acting) 12. Miguel Mariano Gomez Arias 13. Federico Loredo Bru 14. Fulgencio Batista y Zaldivar 15. Ramon Grau San Martin 16. Carlos Prio Socarras Batista 12-11-35 to 05-20-36 05-20-36 to 12-24-36 (impeached) 12-24-36 to 10-10-40 10- 10-40 to 10-10-44 10-10-44 to 10-10-48 10-10-48 to 03010-52 03-10-52 to 01-01-59 Others: Appointments, etc. Andres Domingo y Morales del Castillo (appt. by Batista) 08-14-54 to 02-24-55 Anselmo Alliegro y Mila (Senate President) 01-01-59 to 01-02-59 (after Batista fled) Carlos Manuel Piedray Piedra 01-02-59 to 01-02-59 (hours) The Downfall of the Havana Mob and the Gaming Casinos. January 1, 1959 was a turning point for Cuba in a number of way, but especially because the hated Cuban President Fulgencio Batista resigned and fled the country during the night; an act which, at a stroke, removed the protective shield that had enabled the mafia to control Cuba's lucrative hotel and gambling concessions for the previous seven years. The events of New Year's Eve 1958/59 in Havana are portrayed in the film Godfather II which is an interesting blend of fact and fiction with some characters more-or-less directly lifted from history, some semi-, some entirely fictional. In the film, Batista arrives at a New Year's party being attended by his henchmen and mafia partners and announces his resignation. This prompts a chaotic exodus from Havana by Batista and the assembled mafiosi, Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) planting the 'kiss of death' on his brother Fredo (John Cazale) and thereby doing a poor job of persuading him that he bears no grudge for his betrayal him and that it's perfectly safe for Fredo to travel back to the US with him. Batista's regime did indeed fall on December 31st 1958/1st January 1959 in dramatic circumstances. Batista had underestimated the strength of the Castro rebels who had been holed up in the Sierra Maestra Mountains for almost two years but who were now marching triumphantly towards Havana and carrying the Cuban population with them. By 3rd January parts of the rebel army under Castro's generals Che Guevara and Camilo Cinefuegos had reached Havana; Castro and his troops, with a great sense of theatre and amid scenes of wild jubilation, arrived in Havana on 8th January. On the night in question, news of Batista's flight started to spread round the hotels of central Havana at 1.00 am. Batista had already fled by then and did not announce his resignation at the Hilton Casino where most of his associates and ministers were indeed partying, instead sneaking away and leaving the nation and his former supporters to their fate. Batista flew out of the country from Camp Columbia his passage guaranteed by the US Government if he went quietly. Batista ended up in Spain where he died in 1973 at the age of 72, apparently only 2 days before a Cuban hit squad was due to assassinate him. As the news spread round Havana, anarchy took hold - the people's seething resentment erupting onto the streets and into the casinos, several of which were ransacked with slot machines and gambling 10 tables being dragged out onto the streets and set ablaze. Most of the leading mobsters in Havana, including Meyer Lanksy (played as Hyman Roth in Godfather II by Lee Strasbourg) did not flee immediately but instead drove round the Havana Casinos collecting as much of their money as they could, the night's takings that they were able to rescue amounting to several million dollars. Meanwhile the angry revolutionary crowd continued to ransack the hotels and casinos, even letting a herd of pigs run amok in the most glamorous of the hotels, The Riviera, once the jewel in Meyer Lansky's Havana crown. The outpouring of anger against the casinos surprised some, but the people of Cuba had long been aware of the collusion between their government and the American gangsters. Batista's regime was rotten to the core. He had become obsessed with the trappings of power, especially money. He had used the presence of Castro's rebels in the mountains as a pretext for increasingly violent and repressive measures against anyone who threatened his position. Batista collected anything between 10% and 30% of casino profits and by the time of his capitulation, he had amassed a vast personal fortune, largely at the expense of his countrymen. By the end of 1958, he was a hated figure in Cuba. He still had the support of the elite around him including the army but, crucially, he finally lost the support of the US Government who, under Eisenhower, lost patience with his regime. The US felt it had little to fear from Fidel Castro assuming that if he took power. Cuba would descend into anarchy as it had many times before and open the door for an American intervention or at least for an expanded US role in Cuba. Batista had been in league with the Mafia and with Meyer Lansky since 1952. Batista relaxed gambling laws and allowed anyone who invested either $200k in a nightclub or $1m in a hotel to obtain a gaming license without the need for any troublesome background checks and matching those investments dollar for dollar with Government funds. It was the Mafia and Batista's dream to create a gambling haven and tourist resort in the Caribbean, that would rival the success and glamour of Vegas and Monte Carlo. Lansky's early associates in Cuba included 'Lucky' Luciano (Michael Corleone, played by Al Pacino. It is probably an amalgam of real-life mobsters Lucky Luciano and Vito Genovese, and Bugsy Seigel (played as Moe Green) by Alex Rocco in The Godfather) were heavily involved with Lanksy in Havana and also in Vegas. Luciano had been deported from the US to Sicily after the war. In the US, he had been in jail but had helped the US war effort working for Naval Intelligence and using his influence in the New York docks and in Italy to snuff out the traffic in information about ship movements. He snuck back to Havana from Sicily in 1946, and attempted to re-assert his position as 'Capo di tutti capi' working from Cuba. The US government had other ideas and forced the Cuban Government to deport him again in 1947. Luciano died in Naples in 1962. Bugsy Siegel's story is more colorful. The mafia dons had entrusted him with their millions to construct and manage a showcase hotel in Las Vegas, which at that time was a hick watering hole in the middle of the Nevada desert. The hotel became the Flamingo. The power and excitement of it all going to his head and leading to massive cost and schedule overruns with the added twist that he was skimming millions off the top of his investors funds before applying them to the job in hand. The end was inevitable. Siegel had powerful friends, including Meyer Lanksy, but they were not powerful enough to prevent the Mafia dons, at their renowned Havana conference of 1946, from ordering his assassination which was duly carried out in 1947. Siegel died in a hail of bullets in the Beverly Hill's home of his mistress, Virginia Hill. One bullet dislodged his eyeball which was found, intact, 12ft from his body. He wasn't actually shot in the eye (as was Moe Green in the Godfather film) but nevertheless the 'bullet-in-the-eye' entered into mafia folklore after Siegel's killing. 11 One other Havana-related mob hit that achieved mythical status was that of Albert 'Mad Hatter' Anastasia. He was one of the more ruthless mob killers and enforcers of the post-war period and head of the band of mob killers known as 'Murder Inc'. Like many of the US based mob bosses Anastasia was an investor in Cuba, most mob investments being made through Meyer Lansky's investment vehicle 'BANDES'. In September 1957, Anastasia decided to visit Cuba to check up on his investments much to the consternation of the Havana mob bosses. He spent 5 days touring the casinos and then declared that he was unhappy with the division of spoils from the Hilton in which, he learned, he was an investor along with 15 others including the Hotel Worker's Union and a Junior Senator. Anastasia demanded that the arrangements be changed. He was threatening to upset the lucrative equilibrium that Lanksy had created in Havana and to try and muscle in on a bigger piece of the Havana action and his end too was inevitable, though somewhat more shocking given the fear that he created wherever he went. He died in another hail of bullets in the barber's chair in October 1957. As part of his weekly routine he had gone for a haircut at the Park Sheraton barbershop in New York and, with a hot towel wrapped around his face, was shot six times from behind, one bullet smashing through the back of his skull and lodging in his brain. There were two other key mafia figures in Cuba in the fifties. Santos Trafficante was from Tampa, Florida where his father had amassed a fortune mainly controlling the local street gambling obsession called 'bolita'. Trafficante probably had plans of his own to dominate the gambling scene in Cuba but always had to play second fiddle to Lansky, who he deeply resented. Lansky had established his leading role in Cuba with the help of the all- powerful Luciano. Lansky and Luciano were the leading lights in the National Crime Syndicate,- the body that brought together the major crime families of the US and divided the spoils of organized crime between them. He held onto his leading position there because he was the one with Batista and the government in his pocket and because was the brains behind the Cuban operation who always made money for his partners. Trafficante was the owner-operator of the Sans Souci nightclub in Havana, and probably tolerated the 'upstart' Lansky's position (as he would see it) because it was good for business. He tried in 1957 to outflank Lanksy by doing a deal to invest in Cuba behind Lansky's back with Albert Anastasia which will have further encouraged Lanksy and the other key figure in the Havana Mob, Joe Stassi, to take Anastasia out of the equation which they did two months later. Trafficante died in Houston, Texas where he had gone for heart surgery in 1987. He was almost certainly involved with the assassination of JFK which, according to his lawyer, he practically confessed to. JFK and his brother Bobby were waging a war on organized crime and JFK himself had also made enemies of many anti-Castro Cubans living in the US after the fiasco of the Bay of Pigs invasion. Joe Stassi was the day-to-day manager of the Mob in Havana. He was seen as being a neutral figure, friendly to all parties in Cuba. The weekly Havana Mob meetings were held at his house which was seen as neutral ground. By the late 50's he was, at Lanksy's urging, very much on the business side of organized crime, but he had, in his youth, been a feared assassin and enforcer once shooting his best friend at point blank range after being ordered to by his bosses. In reality Stassi was a trusted associate of Lansky's. It was to Stassi's house that Lanksy sent all the winnings that he could save as chaos overran Havana on the night of Dec31/Jan1 1959. It was Stassi who travelled to New York in 1957 to organize the assassination of Anastasia. Lansky, Trafficante and Stassi all stayed on in Cuba after Castro's victory, hoping that once the dust had settled they would be able to re-open their hotels and casinos and that everything would return to normal. They were wrong. Castro shut down or nationalised all the hotels and casinos. Trafficante and Stassi were arrested numerous times throughout 1959 by Castro's rebels who were, by the summer, 12 summarily prosecuting and executing known allies of the Batista regime. By October 1959, all of them had fled Cuba, losing everything. 'I crapped out' said Lanksy of his Cuban adventure, probably not before amassing a vast fortune, which was never found after he died in 1983 in Florida at the age of 80. Stassi, flat broke after he fled Cuba resorted to drug trafficking and soon ended up in jail, where he spent the remainder of his days living to the ripe old age of 95. ++Originally posted on Facebook by Joseph Algazi, CNA Director, on July 23, 2012++ FROM THE KITCHEN THIS RECIPE IS LISTED AGAIN IN THE HOPE THAT THE CNA MEMBERS, WHO HAVE NOT ENJOYED THIS WONDERFUL DISH, WOULD DO SO. PAELLA (Pa aye ya) 2 lbs Valencian rice 1 chicken (3 lbs) 2 lobsters tails in chunks 1/4 lb crab meat in lumps 1 lb. clams in shell 1/2 lb. fish 1/2 lb. pork meat (loin) 1/2 lb.smoked ham 1 1/4 cups olive oil 4 cloves garlic 2 onions 2 green peppers 2 bay leaves 1 can tomato sauce 1 can red peppers 3/4 tsp. pepper 2 1/2 tbs. salt 2 tsp. paprika 1 tbs. vinegar 4 cups dry wine 2 cups chicken broth PREPARATION: In a Paella pan, or large flat pan, heat oil and fry diced onions, garlic and green peppers. Cut pork meat, fish, chicken and ham in small pieces and add to the oil until lightly golden. Add the chopped red peppers, the tomato sauce, the liquid from the peppers, paprika, pepper, salt, vinegar and wine. Bring to the boil and add broth. When chicken is almost tender, add the rice and seafood. Cook at low heat or in a 300 F oven until rice is cooked. Approximately 30 minutes. Serve in an earthenware casserole garnished with red peppers and petit pois (baby peas). Serves 12 to 15 persons. AND FOR A GREAT SIDE: VARADERO TEMPTATION (Fried Plantains) 8 servings 10 Tablespoons of butter (No margarine, please) 6 Very ripe plantains or ripe yellow bananas, peeled and cut in long slices. 4 tablespoons brown sugar ½ cup red wine Cinnamon (optional) 13 This is a great side dish that will compliment any meal or any occasion. They are absolutely delicious and very easy to prepare. Instructions Melt butter over low heat in frying pan. Fry plantains/bananas by increasing temperature to medium heat. Turn over as needed until golden brown. In a separate pan melt the sugar slowly until caramelized, then add wine. Pour the mix over the plantains and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon powder before serving. Enjoy!! CNA NEWS LETTER ARTICLE INDEX ISSUE/PAGE DESCRIPTION 4-06/8 4-07/14 2-10/5 1-04/4 3-06/7 2-07/14 4-07/4 4-07/17 4-11/9 3-04/3 4-07/16 1-04/3 1-12/6 3-11/8 2-07/12 3-08/18 3-09/8 2-12/17 1-10/8 3-11/19 1-12/7 4-11/16 2-08/9 1-09/6 3-05/6 3-12/7 1-12/7 1-09/5 3-12/7 3-05/10 1870 Essai 1870 Patterns 1870 Peso “E” Pattern 1876 5 Centavo 1869 1000 Peso Revolutionary Bond 1869 Paper Money Issues of Cuba 1869 5 Peso Error Note 1920 Proofs ABC Peso ABC’s – The story behind the ABC’s ABC Design America’s involvement in Cuba American Half Dimes in Cuba Aquilera, Francisco Vicente Auction Results of Cuban Coins Auction Results of Cuban Coins Auction Results of Cuban Coins and Currency Auction Results of Cuban Coins and Currency Auction Results of Cuban Coins Auction Results of Cuban Coins Auction Results of Cuban Coins Auction Results of Cuban Numismatics Banco Espanol De La Isla De Cuba Banco National De Cuba Barber – Chief Engraver Barber papers Bay of Pigs Counterfeit 20 Peso Bill vs. Receipt Bordello tokens Brand Collection Auction of 1964 14 3-05/12 1-11/5 3-11/10 4-05/8 2-11/5 & 3-11/5 1-08/9 3-04/2 2-10/4 3-05/2 2-06/11 3-08/12 & 1-09/4 2-10/6 3-12/10 2-04/4 3-05/8 4-08/6 4-11/5 2-04/2 4-05/12 4-06/11 4-11/6 1-05/3 1-04/5 1-04/6 3-12/4 1-04/2 1-08/7 1-06/7 1-10/9 1-05/7 Buyer Beware Buying and Selling Coins Carida del Cobre Casino Chips S.S. Central America Chronology of the Minting of the First Cuban Coinage Cobs, Pieces of Eight and Treasure Coins Coin Grading Symbols Commemorative Coins Commemorative CNA Coin Counterfeit Coins and Holders Counterfeit Cuba Gold 5 Peso Cuban Casinos Downfall Cuban Coin Adventure Cuban Coins – A bit pricey Cuban Coins Host Unusual Native Species Cuban CUP & CUC Cuban Market Cuban Market Cuban Mint Tour Cuban 1905 1, 2, 5 & 10 Peso Currency by Banco Nacional de Cuba Currency – Collecting Cuban Currency Cuban Numismatics – Overview EBAY – Buying and Selling EBAY- Restrictions on published grade Embargo, as it applies to modern collectibles First Bank Notes of the Cuban Republic First Circulating Currencies First Cuban Coin First Strike of Cuban Coins 2-11/14 4-08/10 1-10/5 1-12/9 2-12/10 3-09/6 3-11/12 4-11/11 3-07/13 4-06/10 3-12/13 4-09/11 2-10/9 4-11/11 FROM THE KITCHEN Arroz and Shrimp Arroz Con Pollo (Yellow Rice and Chicken) Beef Stew (Papas) Caldo Gallego Corn Fritters Cuban Pork Chops with Mango Relish Empanadas (guava) Elena Ruiz Sandwich Flan Flan Cake Fried Plantains Frita (Cuban Hamburger) Garbonzos and Rice Habanero (Eggs) 15 4-07/20 1-09/10 4-06/10, 1-11/8 & 3-12/15 1-09/9 & 4-11/12 1-10/5 2-10/10 1-09/9 2-08/12 4-08/8 3-11/12 3-08/18 1-08/17 1-07/11 2-07/19 2-07/20 Mojito Natilla (Cuban Custard) Paella Palomilla Steak Papas (Cuban Style Beef Stew) Pear Cake Pork Chunks Pork Leg (Stuffed) Pressed Cuban-Style Burger Red Bean Soup Rice Pudding Roast Pork Sautéed Fish and Tropical Salsa with Avocado and Greens Salad Ropa Vieja (Old Rags) with black beans and rice. Tres Leche Cake 1-12/5 1-04/8 2-11/7 3-04/9 3-07/10 2-05/6 3-04/10 4-09/6 3-06/9 1-06/8 4-09/8 2-04/4 2-07/8 3-08/20 2-04/11 4-09/5 4-09/6 3-08/10 1-04/6 2-04/6 1-10/6 4-11/8 2-05/5 4-07/8 1-08/9 2-08/4 3-08/5 2-07/5 3-06/5 Gentleman from Paris Grading Grading Cuban Coins Grading 101 Habana Real Hacienda Seal Keys of Cuba Luster Making of a Coin Folder Medals – Moro Castle (1762) Monetary Conversion after Spanish America War Numismatic Poetry – 1869 Cuba y Puerto Rico Peso Our Man in Cuba Population Report of NGC and PCGS certified Cuban coins. Proof – Proof Like – First Strike Relief – High and Low Republic of Cuba 1st Republic 1915-1958 Type Set Book Republic of Cuba Type Set Book – The Making of it. Sea of Gold and Silver around Cuba Souvenir Peso – 1897 Souvenir Peso – 1897, and 1898 Peso Souvenir (Revolutionary) 1897 Souvenir 1965 Patterns Trafalgar – A Rich Naval history Tokens – Sugar Estates (Section 1) Tokens – Sugar Estates (Section 2) Tokens – Sugar Estates (Section 3) Tokens – Sugar Estates (Section 4) Tokens – Military and Post Exchanges Tokens - Tobacco Plantations 16 3-07/5 2-06/6 4-08/3 2-11/3 2-10/3 Tokens - Transportation Treasurer’s Report Treasurer’s Report Treasurer’s Report Valuable US Coins in Circulation LETTERS TO THE EDITOR NOTE: Responses to Letters to the Editor are provided by CNA members, who volunteer their time, and have a variety of expertise. Some information may by misrepresented or partially incomplete. Although these situations are considered minimal, it may occur. In these situations, the CNA apologizes, but cannot be held responsible. # 1. F.D. sent the following email: Hello. I'm glad to have found your web site. My name is Fernando, I started collecting Cuban coins. I have a question about a coin. It's the 1897 souvenir wide date: I thought they all had "PAT" on the base of the young lady. Are there any without the PAT, and what would be the value? Editor: Thank you for the email regarding the 1897 Cuban Souvenir Peso "PAT 97" type 1. As far as the uniqueness of the 1897 "Pat 97", I am only aware of the claim that there are few different versions of the actual placement of the "PAT 97", but all 828 minted have the Pat 97, which is located above the U in SOUVENIR at the bottom of Molina's neck. Types II (Stars below 97 / Close date), and Type III (Stars in line with 97 / Close date) do not have the PAT 97. It was removed because of patent concerns. Please contact me if you have any additional information regarding this issue. F.D: Thanks for the info. I'm more intrigued now. This coin I was asking about is the 1897 wide date cat. #1, but no PAT on the neck of Molina . The seller tells me is genuine. I've bought coins from him before, so I trust him about the price. I'm not sure of the value. Any feedback would be appreciated, since I don't have a good coin catalogue. Editor: I have a bit more info on your inquiry of a 1897 PAT Souvenir Peso. It has been reported that a few were sold by a Chinese dealer, which would automatically turn on the "counterfeit" light. It is also reported that one was eventually graded by PCGS as genuine. That still leaves the question? Was this coin minted in the USA in 1897 by the Dunn Air Brake Company, OR is it a COPY so perfect that it passed PCGS's strict criteria. One possibility is that this coin is one of the 30 coins that was culled as defective and should have been destroyed??? It certainly sounds interesting. Anyone who buys this coin should send it to PCGS in the hope that it would be determined as genuine. If it turns out to be a counterfeit, it is an $800 mistake. One of our fellow CNA members would like to purchase it from you (if bought), or from the dealer if you decide to pass on the purchase. Please let me know what your decision is regarding the purchase of this interesting coin. #2. T.O.R. sent the following email: Después de saludarle y felicitarle por el buen trabajo de la asociación numismatica, le informo que soy un coleccionista canario de monedas conmemorativas de Cuba de 5, 10 y 20 pesos y poseo una moneda de una onza de plata del año 2003 que en una de las caras tiene la figura de José Martí de la moneda de 10 pesos numerada (150 piezas) que emitió la Casa de la Moneda conmemorando los150 años de su natalicio en el año 2003 y en la otra cara tiene la figura del Che que corresponde al anverso de la moneda de 10 pesos que emitió la Casa de la Moneda conmemorando el 75 aniversario de 17 su natalicio en el 2003. Esta moneda la he considerado como un error de troqueles a la hora de acuñar la pieza y por lo tanto me gustaría saber si ustedes tienen conocimiento de alguna otra pieza con estas acracterística. Sin otro particular le saluda atentamente. Editor: Thank you for the email regarding the 2 Cuban 10 Peso commemorative coins. I do not write or read Spanish, so your email was a challenge. I think that I understand your inquiry. You have one each of the 2003 Che (KM792) and Marti (KM789) 10 peso silver commemoratives. I suspect that you believe both are ERROR coins from the Cuban Mint? I must advise you that very little research has been conducted regarding errors on Cuban coins, including the First Republic coinage. It will take more time for the 3rd Party Grading Companies (see NOTE) to familiarize themselves with the Cuban coins. These companies spearhead the identification and listing of error coins. We will do our best to accelerate this process. One of the problems we have is that our communication with the Cuban Mint in Havana is limited, and only a few collectors have documented any variations. I might add that it is the same problem of most foreign coins. Very little work has been done in identifying and documenting error coins. Any pictures of examples would be very much appreciated. NOTE: For US coins, the field of error-variety collecting started in 1956 when the Collectors of Mint Errors Club (COME) was born. Later, the Numismatic Error Collectors of America (NECA) was founded. Both organizations were united in 1983 to form the Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of America (CONECA). PCGS and NGC were founded shortly thereafter, and they agreed that the error(s) should be graded in the same manner as “regular” coins, ignoring their natural imperfections, and focusing on their preservation as originally minted. In addition, the error would be so noted in the description on the “slab”. See www.concaonline.org and www.variety.com for more information regarding the two organizations. James Wiles, PhD, has written a comprehensive book “The Modern Minting & US Minting Errors and Varieties”. #3. F.L.H, from Denmark, sent the following email: I hope you can help me with pricing of the 4 Cuban notes in the attachments. It´s Pick A1, 14, 51A+B. Pick A1 seems to have surrounding sheet paper, not shown in the Pick illustration. Pick 51A+B have burn marks. Otherwise the notes are about fine in condition. One is a remainder. In Pick they are priced with a dash, so if you have any price information on these, I will be you very thankful. Response by Larry Casey, CNA Parliamentarian: 18 Permit me to introduce myself, Larry Casey; CNA member 007, IBNS #8135 & SPMCLM #283. Your inquiry has been passed along to me for comment and I apologize for the delay. It caught up with me as I migrated from Florida to New Jersey. Fabulous grouping; pA1 with counterfoil. Very rare! The one I see seems to be in great condition, with a spot of paperclip rust, which is not so important with the rarity & condition. Otherwise, it is hard to price as these do not appear very often for comparison. The p14 appears to be also in decent condition; perhaps $1500 - $3000 USD at real auction. Auction houses might shy away from the 500 y 1000 pesos notes with the burns and wormholes however they remain difficult issues and would likely still see some bidding for those who want an example, even a temporary example, until a better one comes along or the more affordable one with some condition issues. I would imagine that each should wind up between a few hundred USD & 500 USD easily. I ran these past an associate before commenting, and we saw things to be more or less the same. He would also like to make an offer on the group. If nothing else, an offer would be more of one persons’ exact number vs. the hypothetical ranges that I attempt to provide. With your permission I will have him be in communication with his offer. If there is any other questions that you may have, I would be happy to attempt to help. Otherwise it was a pleasure to see your notes. Please feel free to ask of any other notes in the future. REPLY FROM F.L.H: Thank you very much your reply and your assistance. First I must tell you that these notes are not my own. They belonged to an old friend of mine, who died recently and the widow have handed them (with other notes) over to the Danish auction company, Bruun Rasmussen, and it is Bruun Rasmussen that has approached me about the value of these notes. My expectation is that these notes will be put on auction, and you or your associate will have a chance to make a bid. If you want (and Bruun Rasmussen allows me), I will give you an advance notice of when the auction will take place, so you can be prepared. I will ask Bruun Rasmussen if they are willing to do a direct trade. It is not something they normally do, but I can always ask. I thank you very much for the evaluations. As to the evaluation of P A1, I guess it will be considerably higher than P 14, also due to the counterfoil. Is that correct? RESPONSE FROM LARRY CASEY: Higher not so much due to it’s counterfoil (an issued note of this condition would be preferable to most collectors), but due to its much greater rarity. There was not enough paper money produced, so it circulated hard. The climate was and is harsh on paper. I have owned and seen many p14s, but the A1 comes around only so often. I will look up the auction house, and please keep me posted if you can. If nothing else I would love to know how they sell when they do. And my sympathies on the passing of your friend. Follow Up from F.L.H., as of June 23, 2012: No action yet on the notes. The auction is not expected till late fall, approximately November 1, 2012. Bruun Rasmussen has advised me that it will be a live auction in Copenhagen. You will of course also be able to bid online. If any of you wants to bid online, it is necessary to become e-customer with Bruun Rasmussen. I will advise how, if needed. When the auction gets closer, I´ll send out a message to you all. Usually the auction catalog is online about a month before the auction; that is about October 1st. If Bruun Rasmussen by mistake puts the notes on their internet auctions earlier, I´ll let you know right away. I monitor them regularly. WANT ADS FOR SALE: 1. Cuban ANACS MS62 1933 Peso (list $170) - $145, includes SH&I. Cuban ANACS MS62 1915 10 Centavo (list $250) - $90. Includes SH&I. Cuban NGC MS62 1915 Centavo (list $70) - $45. Includes SH&I. Cuban NGC MS63 1946 5 Centavo (list $45) - $30. Includes SH&I. 19 Cuban NGC MS61 1920 20 Centavo (list $100) - $55. Includes SH&I. Many other CERTIFIED and “raw” Cuban centavos and pesos. 032012 Contact Frank Putrow at Fxputrow@aol.com or 727 5317337. 2. Cuban VF – AU centavos (1c to 40c) for sale. 75% of Krause list. Many to choose from. Guaranteed satisfaction. Contact Jesus Inguanzo at Guardafango@yahoo.com or 305 2237200. 032012 3. Cuba and World Coins. Order your free list at cidcorreo@msn.com or call 813 9334871. 032012 4.. 032012 WANTED: 1. 1920 KM11.2 (No period after G) Cuba 5 centavo. 1960 100 Pesos Aguilera (Muestra for the ABN). Contact A. Giannotti at 787-7927617 (PR) or Agiannotti@gmail.com 072312 2. 1915 Cuban Gold 20 Peso PF63 or better. Contact James Koss at 239-2809050 or jameskoss@the bestbackandsleepstore.net 072312 OTHER: 1. Buying and selling all Cuban coins, medals, and tokens. George Manz Coins. www.georgemanzcoins.com or email George@georgemanzcoins.com in Regina, Canada. Telephone 306 3522337. 032012 EXTRA, EXTRA!!! Auction results will now be provided as the last part of the CNA Newsletters. This will allow members to simply remove the section, and combine them for ready reference. A Cuba 1915 Gold 20 Peso NGC Cameo Proof65, as well as a Cuba 1870 Peso Pattern in silver PF58, will be in the Heritage Long Beach Auction on September 5-8, 2012. 20 SISTER CLUBS 21 Auction Results: Heritage – April 27, 2012 – Chicago 3019 Includes bp 1915 Cuba 2 Centavo NGC PF65 - $ 805.00 1915 Cuba 10 centavo NGC PF 66 Cameo - 8,625.00 1915 Cuba 20 Centavo NGC PF 67 Cameo - 10,350.00 1932 Cuba 20 Centavo NGC MS62 1,265.00 1915LR Cuba 40 Centavo NGC MS62 149.50 1953 Cuba Matte PF63 Set (4 Coins) - 13,800.00 1897 Cuba PAT.97 Souvenir Peso NGC MS66 3,737.50 1897 Cuba Type 2 Souvenir Peso NGC MS63 575.00 1915 Cuba Peso NGC PF63 3,737.50 1935 Cuba ABC Peso NGC MS65 2,900.00 1936 Cuba ABC PESO NGC MS65 2,185.00 1937 Cuba ABC Peso NGC MS 62 2,530.00 1915 Cuba Gold Peso NGC MS66 977.50 1915 Cuba Gold Peso NGC MS67 1,380.00 1916 Cuba Gold Peso NGC MS65 661.25 1916 Cuba Gold Peso NGC MS66 747.50 1916 Cuba Gold Peso NGC MS67 6,325.00 1915 Cuba Gold 4 Peso NGC MS63 3,680.00 1915 Cuba Gold 10 Peso NGC MS62 977.50 1915 Cuba Gold 20 Peso (Unc details) 1,725.00 1915 Cuba Gold 20 Peso NGC MS62 2,300.00 1915 Cuba Gold 20 Peso NGC MS63 4,312.50 1834 Cuba Proclamation NGC AU50 218.50 1872 Cuba/Spain 4 Reales Counterstamp VF20 488.75 1872 Cuba/Spain 2 Reales Counterstamp F15 431.25 Goldberg Auctions. June 2012 1916 Cuba Peso ICCS PF65 - 26,450.00 eBay # 180842265377 1938 Cuba Centavo NGC MS66 - 480.89 22 23