REPUBLIC OF PERU
CENTENNIAL OF THE NAVAL BATTLE OF CALLAO (BATTLE OF THE 2ND OF MAY) BETWEEEN SPAIN AND PERU (1866-1966)
FIFTY SOLES GOLD COIN CERTIFIED BY NGC MINT STATE 64
OBV: NATIONAL ARMS.
REV: WINGED VICTORY STANDING ON GLOBE DIVIDES DATES.
THE CHINCHA ISLANDS WAR (ALSO THE SPANISH-CHILEAN OR SPANISH-PERUVIAN WAR) (1864-1866), BEGAN BY THE SIEZURE BY SPAIN OF THE PERUVIAN CHINCHA ISLANDS, AND LED TO A NUMBER OF NAVAL AND COASTAL BATTLES BETWEEN SPAIN AND HER FORMER COLONIES OF PERU AND CHILE. THE WAR SAW THE FIRST USE OF IRONCLAD WARSHIPS IN BATTLE IN SOUTH AMERICA, INCLUDING THE SPANISH IRONCLAD NUMANCIA, THE FIRST TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE GLOBE.
ON THE 2ND OF MAY, 1866, A SPANISH FLEET UNDER THE COMMAND OF ADMIRAL CASTO SECUNDINO MARIA MÉNDEZ NÚÑEZ (1824-1869), COMMANDER OF THE NUMANCIA, BEGAN A NAVAL BOMBARDMENT OF THE PERUVIAN PORT CITY OF EL CALLAO.
THE BOMBARDMENT BY SPAIN WAS IN RESPONSE TO THE MURDER OF TWO SPANISH CITIZENS, BUT MORE PROBABLY A BID BY THE SPANISH CROWN OF QUEEN ISABELLA II TO REASSERT HER COUNTRY'S HEGEMONY OVER THE LOST AMERICAN PROVINCES.
SPANISH SHIPS ALSO SEIZED THE GUANO RICH CHINCHA ISLANDS.
PRESIDENT MARIANO IGNACIO PRADO OCHOA ORGANIZED A DEFENSE IN ANSWER TO SPAIN'S AGGRESSION. AT THE END OF THE BATTLE OF CALLAO, THE SPANISH FLEET WITHDREW FROM THE BATTLE, BUT ONLY AFTER THEY CLAIMED ALL DEFENSIVE GUNS HAD BEEN SILENCED.
THE SPANISH CLAIMED VICTORY FOR HAVING OUTGUNNED THE PERUVIANS, AND THE PERUVIANS CLAIMED VICTORY FOR HAVING DEFENDED THE AMERICAS FROM SPANISH RECOLONIZATION.
KM # 250
CONTAINS 23.4056 GRAMS OF .900 FINE GOLD (.6772 OZ AGW)
30 MM IN DIAMETER
6,409 MINTED
