Benchingko Pesos: Philippine Republic (Mint State)
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Updated:
6/1/2025
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These are Republic of the Philippines 25 Piso coins minted from 1974 onward. My set title begins with the Filipino term for twenty five pesos (Benchingko Pesos), spelled they way it it usually pronounced.
My goal is to complete this set, and to improve it. Assembling this set was fun, and interesting, and not at all difficult. Most of the coins in this set are the core of a couple other sets of mine.
Just like my other registry sets, I have included some information about each coin so I can share it with you. I really enjoy learning about a coin's history and the story of the person, place, or event that it is commemorating. I hope you enjoy viewing the set and reading about each coin.
As I worked on completing this set, my interest in the national coat of arms of the Republic of the Philippines--the device that appears on the reverse of most of the coins in this set, piqued. I have always been curious about the different coats of arms depicted in Philippine coins as the country journeyed through key periods in its history. Not knowing much about it, I did some research and would like to share what I learned.
A coat of arms is basically a heraldic visual design on a shield (called escutcheon in heraldic terms), representing the nation. The Arms of the Philippines consists of a shield with symbols called charges, and a motto underneath. The first version of the current coat of arms was designed by Filipino artist and heraldist Captain Galo B. Ocampo adopted in July 1946.
For those not familiar with heraldry (which I was not until this writing), there is a formal way of describing the coat of arms and it is called blazoning. Blazoning is done in a very precise way and is written in Anglo-Norman French. The Philippine coat of arms is officially blazoned as:
“Paleways of two pieces, azure and gules; a chief argent studded with three golden stars equidistant from each other; in point of honor, ovoid argent over all the sun rayonnant with eight minor and lesser rays; in sinister base gules, the Lion Rampant of Spain; in dexter base azure, the American eagle displayed proper. Beneath, a scroll with the words 'Republic of the Philippines' inscribed thereon.”
The current version, per Republic Act No. 8491 of 1998 blazons it a little simpler:
Paleways of two (2) pieces, azure and gules; a chief argent studded with three (3) mullets equidistant from each other; and, in point of honor, ovoid argent over all the sun rayonnant with eight minor lesser rays. Beneath shall be the scroll with the words “REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS,” inscribed thereon.
Here is my interpretation/explanation in today’s English:
The shield, (which is peaked on the top and has a French bottom), is divided into two vertical bands colored blue and red. In heraldry, the tincture (color) blue represents truth and loyalty, whereas its symbolism for the flag is peace, truth, and justice. Red signifies military strength and magnanimity, while for the flag it stands for patriotism and valor. The top portion of the shield is white and has three golden stars equally distanced from each other. White signifies peace and sincerity, while the stars represent the solidarity of the country's primary geographic regions (Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao).
Centered halfway between the top and middle point of the shield is a white oval containing a sun depicted with eight sets of long and short rays. The sun symbolizes liberty in heraldry, but for the flag it symbolizes unity, freedom, people's democracy, and sovereignty. The rays represent the provinces that first revolted against Spain, and were consequently placed under martial law during the Philippine Revolution (1896-1898).
In the shield’s bottom right band—red side, (left from the viewpoint of the bearer), is the Lion Rampant of Spain (the king of beasts, raised on its hind legs with its clawed paws outstretched as if in battle), taken from the Royal Spanish Flag, the quartered flag of Castile and Aragon. This portion of the shield represents the country's Spanish colonial past.
In the shield’s bottom left band—blue side I, is the American bald eagle, shown in its natural colors. Its left talon is grasping an olive branch, symbolizing peace, and the right talon is grasping three spears, denoting war. This portion of the shield represents the country's American colonial past.
Beneath the shield is a scroll inscribed with the words “Republic of the Philippines”. Or, as prescribed by Republic Act No. 8491 of 1998, “REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS”.
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Information Sources:
Set image (modified by me) from file:Philippine Barnstar Hires vector.svg. (2020, October 27). Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. Retrieved 16:05, November 29, 2020 from https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Philippine_Barnstar_Hires_vector.svg&oldid=503193926.
Child of the Sun Returning State: Arms and Seals of the Philippines. David C. R. Hisser
Wikipedia contributors. (2020, July 24). Coat of arms of the Philippines. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 14:43, November 10, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Coat_of_arms_of_the_Philippines&oldid=969355962
Heraldic "Meanings" (2020, Ocober 1). Retrieved from http://www. americancollegeofheraldry.org/achsymbols.html
Wikipedia contributors. (2020, October 6). Flag of the Philippines. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 14:42, November 10, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flag_of_the_Philippines&oldid=982139643
Republic Act No. 8491. (2020, November 10). Official Gazette. Retrieved from https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1998/02/12/republic-act-no-8491/
Commonwealth Act No. 731, July 03, 1946. Supreme Court e-Library. (2020, November 10). Retrieved from https://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocs/29/35647
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Benchingko Pesos: Philippine Republic (Mint State)
By The 12th Denticle
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