East Africa 1924 50 cents
This specimen was lot 71147 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Santa Ana, CA, October 2020), where it sold for $240. The catalog description[1] noted, "BRITISH EAST AFRICA. 50 Cents, 1924. London Mint. PCGS MS-66 Gold Shield. The only example at this grade for finest certified at PCGS and NGC, the present specimen offers wholly argent surfaces with a dazzling luster and virtually no toning." In 1922, the coinage of East Africa was reformed; where it had been 100 cents = one florin, now 100 cents = one shilling. This billon type, struck 1921-24, was the first fifty cents struck after the reform. The denomination was converted to copper-nickel in 1948.
Recorded mintage: 1,000,000 plus a few proofs.
Specification: 3.89 g, 0.250 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM-20.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The October 2020 Collector's Choice sale: World and Ancient Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2020.
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