PCGS Grades Rare 1819 Chilean Peso Pattern
May 19, 2026
PCGS recently crossed over an 1819 Chilean Portales Pattern, a rare piece with a notable legacy. A relic of early independent Chile, the 1819 Chilean Portales Pattern emerged when the fledgling nation s coinage faced criticism over its volcano design and was being targeted by counterfeiters who found the new coins easy to replicate and pass off in circulation.
There was a proposed remedy, or so thought Chile Mint Superintendent J.S. Portales, whose father had also held the same leadership position at the mint. Portales proposed a coin retaining the volcano and globe elements but enhanced by a more elaborate design, adorned with decorative elements surrounding the central devices.
From PCGS