Ceylon 1929 50 cents
This specimen was lot 799 in Stephen Album sale 30 (Santa Rosa, CA, January 2018), where it sold for $1,410. The catalog description[1] noted, "CEYLON: George V, 1910-1936, AR 50 cents, 1929, bright glorious toning, NGC graded Proof 65, RR, ex Paul Stevens Collection." This fifty cent piece was struck 1919-29 as part of the decimal currency reform of 1870 in Ceylon. The earlier mix of stivers and rixdollars was inherited by the British from the Dutch, who occupied the island until 1796. Bronze ¼, ½, 1 and 5 cents were issued in bronze and 25 and 10 cents issued in silver. The silver coinage was debased from 0.800 fine to .550 fine in 1919. Ceylon attained its independence in 1948 after the British left India and is now known as Sri Lanka.
Recorded mintage: 500,000, a common date.
Specification: 5.83 g, .550 fine silver, 23.8 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM-109a.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Auction 30, featuring the George Anderson Collection of Tibetan Coins, the Dr. John W. Lund Collection of Swedish Coins and the Mike Edwards Collection, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2018.
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