Expert: Brad Swain - 12/11/2009

Question
Brad,I have agold Vevezuela coin dated 1955.It is roughly 1 and 3/8 in diameter. Printing on the inside face of the coin is:
CACIQUES DE VENEZUELA and the bottom caption beneath an embossment of an indain looking back to his left with a headband and a large circular ear ring in his right ear is MAra.
On the revers is a hand with arrows AND THE INSCRIPTION OF The interchange Bank.Can you evaluate this for me?

Answer
Hi Ken, this is an unofficially issued 60 Bolivares piece featuring Mara, one in a series of 16th century native Indian chiefs. This 90% gold piece should weigh 22.2 grams and would contain .6424 of an ounce of gold. It may be worth a little over the gold value depending on amount of wear and collector demand.
Current gold and silver values: http://www.kitco.com/market/ .
You might also try a library for a copy of Unusual World Coins, where it is listed as X-MB70, for pictures, values and lots more interesting info.
Brad