Guinea 1977 2000 sylis Fr-15
This specimen was lot 2413 in Sincona sale 77 (Zürich, May 2022), where it sold for 2,000 CHF (about US$2,428 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"GUINEA. Republik, seit 1958. 2000 Sylis 1977. Mao Tse Tung. Sehr selten. Nur 200 Exemplare geprägt. NGC MS68. (republic of Guinea, since 1958, 2000 sylis of 1977, Mao Zedong. Very rare. Only 200 pieces struck.)"
The impoverished African country of Guinea issued two gold NCLT's in 1977; this one featuring the communist leader and another (KM 51) featuring president Ahmed Sekou Toure. The "CNI" mintmark on the reverse indicates that this coin was made in Italy. Guinea returned to the franc in 1985.
Wikipedia comments, "Ahmed Sékou Touré (var. Sheku Turay or Ture; N'Ko: ߛߋߞߎ߬ ߕߎ߬ߙߋ; January 9, 1922 – March 26, 1984) was a Guinean political leader and African statesman who became the first president of Guinea, serving from 1958 until his death in 1984. Touré was among the primary Guinean nationalists involved in gaining independence of the country from France.
A devout Muslim from the Mandinka ethnic group, Sékou Touré was the great grandson of the powerful Mandinka Muslim cleric Samori Ture who established an independent Islamic rule in part of West Africa. In 1960, he declared his Democratic Party of Guinea (Parti démocratique de Guinée, PDG) the only legal party in the state, and ruled from then on as a virtual dictator. He was re-elected unopposed to four seven-year terms in the absence of any legal opposition. Under his rule many people were killed, including at the notorious Camp Boiro."
Recorded mintage: 200 plus 200 proofs.
Specification: 5.87 g, 0.900 fine gold, 0.1699 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: KM 50. Fr-15.
- 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.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Richter, Jürg, SINCONA Auction 77, World Coins and Medals, Bullion Auction, Coins and Medals of Switzerland, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2022.
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