British West Indies 1820 1/16 dollar
This specimen was lot 30515 in Heritage sale 3064 (Chicago, April 2018), where it sold for $1,800. The catalog description[1] noted, "British Colony. George IV Proof 1/16 Dollar 1820 PR64 PCGS. Struck for use in Mauritius. An enchanting and thoroughly toned near-gem, featuring an old time cabinet appeal and underlying luster, along with a subtle array of hues. The eye appeal of this tiny piece makes it a true sight to behold." These colonial issues were made 1820-22 and are rather scarce in nice condition. The odd alloy (instead of the usual .925 sterling) suggests they were made from melted down Spanish dollars. The British West Indies included Jamaica, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Trinidad and the miscellaneous islands in between. Enormously prosperous in the eighteenth century, their economies would shrink considerably in the mid-nineteenth century with slave emancipation and the introduction of the sugar beet to Europe.
Recorded mintage: 162,000 plus proofs, including an 1820/1 overdate.
Specification: .892 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM 1.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach and Warren Tucker, Heritage World Coin Auction 3064, featuring the Doug Robins Collection of Canadian Tokens, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2018.
Link to:
- Grenada (1818) bit KM-12
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- 1820 quarter dollar
- British West Indies 1822 1/16 dollar
- British West Indies 1822 1/8 dollar
- British West Indies 1822 1/4 dollar
- British West Indies 1822 1/2 dollar
- Coins and currency dated 1820
- return to coins of British West Indies