German East Africa 1912-J rupie
This specimen was lot 72164 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, May 2023), where it sold for $504. The catalog description[1] noted, "GERMAN EAST AFRICA. Rupie, 1912-J. Berlin Mint. Wilhelm II. PCGS MS-62. This beautiful Mint State example of a less commonly encountered date displays a richness of details and a soft luster that spins and shimmers in the light. A most wholesome and pleasing example for the specialist." This type was struck 1904-14 for German East Africa to the standard of an Indian rupee. After a prolonged struggle, the British managed to conquer the region during World War One and it was partitioned between them and the Belgians by the Treaty of Versailles. The Belgian portion is now Burundi and Rwanda and the British part merged with Zanzibar to form Tanzania.
Recorded mintage: 300,000, a slightly better date.
Specification: 11.66 g, 0.917 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM-10.
- Jaeger, Kurt, Die Deutschen Münzen seit 1871, Basel: Münzen und Medaillen AG, 1982.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, May 2023 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, Featuring the Richard Elliott Collection of Hooknecks, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.
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