The Platinum Amulet (Anting-Anting)

This artifact is perhaps the most significant discovery in Philippine history. Never before expected that this rare metal would be present in the Philippine and in such period of our colorful past. Anting-anting is unique to Philippine culture and still baffle historians up to this day. There are so many varieties that have surfaced in the past and yet none have ever traced its maker nor those significant people who have worn these talisman.

What makes this piece so important is because it is one of a kind. Platinum is a very rare metal and the existence of this metal in our history proves that Spain did bring platinum to the Philippines during their reign. Numismatist only became aware of the existence of Platinum in Philippine numismatic when then young lawyer,. Willam Villareal reported a 2 peso Isabel struck in platinum during the late 70's. Spain did utilize Platinum for counterfeiting coins for their South American colonies during the reign of Isabel II. It has never been accounted though in our historical records if it had been done otherwise in the Philippines aside from the discovery of Villareal.

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1808 Peru 2 reales with Ferdin VII and serration countermarks (Double Countermarks)

In 1832, Ferdin VII ordered the colony to have its coin countermark due the shortage of coins for the Philippines. The Manila counterstamp was a failure and a simple counterstamp was instead ordered as replacement.

Counterstamping of lower denominations were forbidden and thus only 4 to 6 specimen of 2-reales and 4-reales counterstamp are believed to exist. There were no reports of Ferdin VII countermark on 2 pillar portrait reales or any pre-revolutionary coinage of the Spanish colony. What makes this coin exceptional and unique is it has 2 distinct countermarks, the first one is the F70 on the obverse and on the reverse is serrated countermark on the reverse.

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1862 Isabel II MANILA Junio 21 Inauguracion Del Obras Fuente Tubular

A similar medal issued during the reign of Queen Isabel shows the inauguration of the Manila Mint in 1861. It was only known among Philippine historians that water there were only utility medals issued by Spain such as the 1882 Alfonso XII medal commemorating the opening of the Sta. Cruz fountain and first modern water pipe system of the City of Manila.

There were no reports however of bridge medals besides than the occasional bridge tokens that were discovered years ago, the rarest of which was from the later part of the 19th century.

This medal is otherwise believed to have been struck in the Manila since the same obverse design was used in the medal to commemorate the opening of the Manila Mint. No reported medal was struck for bridge inauguration and this specimen has only been known in existence on this modern day only. It is struck in silver and weighs around 5 grams.

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