Egypt 1922 500 piastres
In 1922, Great Britain granted Egypt independence, while still keenly interested in maintaining control over the Suez Canal. The relationship between Great Britain, the shifty king Fuad and the rabble-rousing politicians repeatedly erupted into violence. In the end, Fuad could not quell the restless Egyptian population to Britain's satisfaction and he was ousted in favor of his son, the notorious Farouk. This specimen was lot 1553 in Stack's "Vermuele, Ward & Mexico Maxico" sale (New York, January 2010), where it sold for $2,070. The catalog description[1] noted, "EGYPT. Faud I, AH 1341-1355/1922-1936. 500 Piastres, AH1340/1922. Civil bust r. Rv. Denomination above center circle. Flashy, reflective fields show light hairlines. Choice About Uncirculated. Ex Coin Galleries Mail Bid sale of July 1993, Lot 753."
Recorded mintage: 1,800 plus a few proofs.
Specification: 42.5 g, 0.875 fine gold, 1.195 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Fr-101 (formerly Fr-26), KM 342.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Kraljevich, John, and Frank Van Valen, The Vermuele, Ward & Mexico Maxico Collections, New York: Stack's, 2009.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
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