Uruguay Gold 5 Peso, 1930 constitution‑centennial quarter‑ounce gold coin featuring national hero José Artigas and sunburst reverse
The Uruguay Gold 5 Peso is a one‑year type gold coin from 1930, struck to commemorate the centennial of Uruguay’s 1830 constitution and offering roughly a quarter ounce of gold in a compact, historically rich format.
Struck at the Paris Mint, the coin is made of about .9167–.917 fine gold, weighs roughly 8.48 g, and contains around 0.2501–0.2502 troy ounces of actual gold—putting it in the same weight class as many classic quarter‑ounce world gold pieces. The obverse carries a right‑facing bust of national hero José Gervasio Artigas, widely regarded as the father of Uruguayan independence, surrounded by the legend “REPUBLICA ORIENTAL DEL URUGUAY.” The reverse shows a radiant sunburst over olive branches with the “5 PESOS” denomination and date, along with the “CENTENARIO DE 1830” inscription marking the constitution centennial.
Originally, only about 100,000 pieces were struck, with an initial release of roughly 14,000 and the balance held back and later sold by the Argentine central bank in the late 1990s, so although they are not impossibly rare, their single‑year issue and quarter‑ounce gold content give them enduring appeal as both bullion and a distinctive collector coin.
