Information about currency: Venezuelan Silver Bolívar

Gen. Guzmán Blanco returned to power on February 26, 1879 and immediately continued with his 1871 program to replace foreign coin in circulation by a National coinage. His monetary law of March 31, 1879 was based on the principles of the Latin Monetary Union. The basic monetary unit was the bolívar de plata, obligatory from July 1, 1879. Copper was eliminated completely, replaced by cupronickel. A coinage limit of Bs.6 per head was set.

Coins produced in Brussels and dated 1879 were put into circulation between November 1879 and October 1880. Postage stamps appeared January 1, 1880 in denominations of 5, 10, 25, and 50 céntimos and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 25 bolívares.

A modern, national mint was finally inaugurated at Caracas on October 16, 1886. The import of foreign coin was then prohibited. Foreign silver was withdrawn from circulation and recoined.