Cuba is a land rich with fertile soil and equally rich in history. An island nation colonized by Spaniards for centuries, one of Cuba’s native sons was José Julián Martí Pérez. Aware that Carlos Manuel de Céspedes wrote an 1868 manifesto calling on all Cubans to join an uprising, a 15-year-old Martí published a newspaper called La Patria Libre – translating to “The Free Homeland” or “The Free Fatherland.” Only one issue was released on January 23, 1869, and it featured his work called “Abdala,” a story about a young man from Nubia who is enslaved yet loves his country. In one part of this writing he says, “Well, tell the tyrant that in Nubia, There is one hero for each of his twenty spears.” His strong feelings of patriotism for his people’s land grew exponentially. On October 16, 1869, at the age of 16, José Martí was arrested and accused of treason. His journey to seek freedom for Cuba was just beginning.
About a decade later, on January 3, 1880, Martí arrived in New York, and he stayed in a house owned by Carmita Miyares de Mantilla that welcomed Cuban exiles. During his time he was well aligned with the Junta Central Republicana de Cuba founded by José Lemus. He was also in personal contact with Máximo Gómez, Lt. General Antonio Maceo who were both in military service. Martí in his advocacy for Cuba was just as important as those fighting the war on the battlefield. He left for Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on January 31, 1895, and was killed when he appeared on the battlefield at Dos Rios in eastern Cuba May 19, 1895. Martí’s teachings about freedom continued through the people of Cuba and inspired many worldwide.
Just as Martí’s journeys took him to the United States, so, too, was that the case for a man named William Barber and his young son, Charles. They embarked from London, England, to the United States in the mid-19th century. William was eventually hired by sterling silverware firm Gorham Manufacturing Company in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1865, William Barber was recruited by James B. Longacre, serving as the fourth chief engraver at the United States Mint in Philadelphia, to be an assistant. Unfortunately, Longacre died on January 20, 1869, and Barber became the fifth chief engraver of the United States Mint; his son Charles Barber was hired as his assistant.
This is where the story between the Barbers, Marti, and Cuba begin intertwining.
Coining A Cuban Legacy
William Barber’s creations included the famed 1877 $50 Half Union gold pattern and the silver Trade Dollar of 1873-1878 that circulated in East Asia. After years of designing multiple patterns and medals, William Barber died on August 31, 1879, leaving his talented son, Charles, to be appointed the sixth chief engraver at the United States Mint. Charles Barber became one of the most well-known engravers within American numismatics. He worked on many projects with engraver George T. Morgan and helmed designs for the Liberty Head (or “Barber”) Dime, Quarter, and Half Dollar. Barber also handled designs for the Liberty Head Nickel, the $4 Stella, and Hawaii’s coinage of 1883. He also designed coinage for a multitude of nations around the globe, including the Republic of Cuba.
The United States military ended the occupation of Cuba on May 20, 1902, following the conclusion of the Spanish- American War. Many years passed before Cuban coinage was struck; when it was, Cuban law dictated it hail from the United States Mint. On December 3, 1914, Barber received a letter from a man named Charles A. Conant that stated, in part: “My Dear Sir, I have been recently employed by the Government of the Republic of Cuba to aid them in carrying out the coinage measure which became law on October 29th 1914.” This law was enacted by Cuban President Mario Garcia Menocal as part of the National Defence Law. Further this law allowed the creation of a national currency that was to be struck in the United States.
Conant continues to note in the letter that, “I shall not be able to make a definite contract without authority from Havana, but would be glad to confer with you if you are interested in the subject. If you are in New York next week, would you be kind enough to endeavor to arrange an appointment? If necessary, I may go to Philadelphia but desire at least to hear from you on the subject first. Yours truly, Charles A. Conant.”
A reply letter by Barber dated December 4, 1914, notes: “Mr. Roberts has correctly informed you regarding the services of any other artist, it would be entirely unnecessary in fact I would rather not be hampered with the services of someone who most probably had no experience with coinage and the mechanical capabilities of the same. I may mention that we have made the dies for the coinage for almost all of the Central and South American countries, therefore can claim a pretty wide experience in this line.” Barber goes on to mention to Conant that he should call his office to set up an appointment. He did call, and they agreed to meet at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia on December 9, 1914. After their meeting, Barber writes Conanat to explain to him that, “The weight and fineness being already stated the next question to be decided is the diameter of each coin and the relative size one coin shall bear to the other.”
On December 19, 1914, Leopoldo Cancio, who was secretary of finance from Cuba, wrote to Charles Conant, “I have decided to accept Mr. Barber’s proposition, as it seems to me that his familiarity with coinage at large will give the best results. Besides the fact that the law actually limits and determines the motives of the designs to appear in each coin, leaves hardly any room for artistic conceptions. In connection with Mr. Barber’s proposition of three thousand ($3,000) for the complete designs of seven coins, you are requested to investigate and submit to me his charges for the remaining designs required by law.” These designs were initially provided by Eduardo I. Montoulieu who graduated from Harvard University as an engineer. His role was in the Ministry of Public Works, and he was placed in charge of Cuban coinage minting operations.
Cuban Coinage To The Letter
From December 14, 1914 to February 24, 1915, Barber, Conant, and Cancio had many discussions involving design. Within these discussions, which includes a dozen letters, it’s interesting to note that all men were respectful of each other’s vision. Barber in one letter explains, “I wish to call your attention to one or two points in the designs, first, I have shown rays around the stars to convey the idea of light bursting from the star.”
In other correspondence, Montoulieu and Cancio convey to Conant that the cheekbone of national hero Jose Marti on the obverse of the 5 peso gold coin is “too prominent and the moustache is too thick, the Adam’s apple is too prominent and the hair requires more detail.” In late February 1915, Eduardo I. Montoulieu became the secretary of finance, and he consulted further on the design refinements for the gold 5 Peso coin.
There is much historic and cultural symbology in the coins that these men created together. Much of it culminates in the Cuban flag, which Carlos Manuel de Céspedes designed in 1868 during the uprising known as La Demajagua. The flag has a single star; colors of red, white, blue; and it was the October 10 flag used for the entirety of the 10 Years’ War. Each coin reverse would bear the phrase “PATRIA Y LIBERTAD,” which translates into “Fatherland and Freedom.” Additionally, the coinage bore a star, the date of mintage, and the weight and purity of the metal where applicable. The obverse exhibits the Cuban coat of arms with its royal palm tree, a key, and a Phrygian cap. The key located in the ocean before the sun represents Cuba. To the right of the key is Florida, and to the left is Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Cuba has been referred to as the “Key to the Americas” or the “Key to the New World” in historical references.
The final die work for the 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 40 centavos and the peso was completed by jeweler Jos. K. Davidson & Sons in Philadelphia. The bill dated March 9, 1915, was made out to George T. Morgan. On the same day, March 9, Barber, Montoulieu, Superintendent of the Philadelphia Mint Adam Joyce, and Superintendent of Coinage Robert Clark witnessed the minting of the first coin, which was a 1915 10 Centavos. Production continued for the next few weeks, with the first coins loaded on a ship called Saratoga on April 2, 1915. The next day, the ship sailed from New York City and reached Havana, Cuba, on April 7, 1915.
Cuban Coins Make Their Debut In 1915
On May 29, 1915, Director of the Philadelphia Mint Robert Woolley signed off a request from Montoulieu for the creation of 1915 Cuba Proof Sets. The letter also notes that these sets are to be sold at the Philadelphia Mint. Discussions between Barber and the others continued about creating plasters for the gold 10 and 20 peso denominations, which were not yet finalized. These conversations went back and forth for a few months as noted in an article by Robert Menchaca titled “Cuban Coins,” which was published in the October 2023 issue of The Numismatist. The article provides a thorough introspective from “The Montoulieu Papers,” where Menchaca illustrates in detail the contributions to Cuban coinage from Eduardo I. Montoulieu. In his article he also notes that, “On October 12, 1915, Leopoldo Cancio told Montoulieu that the French and Spanish gold coins that the National Bank had seized in Cuba would be sent to Philadelphia to be melted and recoined into Cuban gold coins.”
By late 1915, the gold 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, and 20 pesos were going to be struck with Barber’s final designs. Proof coinage of all the denominations dated 1915 was struck, but what was produced in terms of numbers remains a mystery. A gold PCGS PR64CAM 1915 Cuba 20 Peso was sold by Heritage Auctions for almost $80,000 in 2024. Menchaca also notes that, “A common misconception is to treat 1915-16 Cuban coins in two distinct time periods when they were actually minted in a single, continuous campaign. Montoulieu simply requested the date on the working dies to be changed to 1916, and minting operations resumed already in the first week of January 1916.”
The same seven denominations that were struck in copper-nickel and silver were struck again bearing the date 1916. Proof coins dated 1916 were struck as well and are much scarcer than 1915. It is easier to find a higher-graded 1915-dated coin than one dated 1916, simply because the dies were newer. Only the gold 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 pesos for 1916 were struck in a proof finish, and they are all exceptionally rare. The PCGS Set Registry listing 1915 Cuban Year Set Circulation Strikes is available for collectors to consider building. The central star design can be in a high-relief and low-relief variety for the peso, 40 centavos, and 20 centavos denominations. In addition, the 20 centavos has two edge varieties known as Fine Reeding and Coarse Reeding. A silver PCGS MS62 1915 Low Star Cuba Peso was sold by Stack’s Bowers Galleries for $8,000 in January 2021.
Barber, Others Helped Marti's Legacy Live On
Charles E. Barber sadly passed away at the age of 76 on November 16, 1917. World War I brought a halt to production for Barber-designed Cuban coinage until 1920; the Cuban peso took a hiatus from 1916 only to return from 1932 through 1934 and can be purchased for about $350 in a grade of PCGS MS63. In 1932, the 20 centavos was introduced and is a conditional scarcity; for an example in PCGS MS63, a collector would have to shell out about $2,500.
The next coin struck from the Cuban catalog is the 1938 1 Centavo made from copper-nickel. This coin can be purchased for $250 in PCGS MS63. World War II put a crimp in things for collectors expecting more coinage from the era of Barber designs, but in 1943 the 1 centavo and 5 centavo were struck in brass. The coins are prone to spotting easily; once they enter circulation, they are doomed in terms of condition. In PCGS MS65 the 1943 one centavo can be had for about $100 and the 1943 brass 5 centavo in MS65 will cost about $200.
The era of Barber designs on Cuban coinage came to a close with the denominations struck from 1946 through 1949. The 1 centavo and 5 centavos struck in 1946 can be had for a reasonable price in PCGS MS64 between $50 to $75. The 1948 and 1949 dates for the 10 and 20 centavos can be purchased for prices ranging from $75 to $125 in a grade of PCGS MS64. There are two notable varieties in the series. The first would be the PCGS 1915 High Relief, No Periods Silver Peso, which is missing periods after the weight and the “G,” which stands for grams. The second is the PCGS 1920 5 Centavos with no period after the “G.” Both of these varieties are exceptionally scarce, and you can expect to pay a few thousand dollars for either of these coins in AU grades.
Charles Barber gets most of the credit for the designs seen on Cuba’s coins from 1915 through 1949. However, a majority of the design elements were proposed by Eduardo I. Montoulieu. They should equally receive credit as Barber refined the design elements and Montoulieu admiringly approved of his artistry. The language used by all the parties in their correspondence letters is immensely respectful, and all of it led to the creation of Cuban coinage that eventually came to bear the likeness of José Martí.
The first gold coins of the Republic of Cuba carried the effigy of Martí, who was also known as the Apostle of Cuban Independence. If José Martí was alive to see the proposal of gold coins minted in his honor, he might have refused at first – later politely thanking the Cuban government for the honors. Perhaps those close colleagues around him may have reminded him that, because of his efforts, Cuba became a free nation and his teachings paved the way for that. Maybe José Martí would recall one of his famous quotes: “The first duty of a man is to think for himself.”