Guinea 1977 500 sylis KM-46
This specimen was lot 72405 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice Online Auction (Santa Ana, CA, May 2017), where it sold for $470. The catalog description[1] noted, "GUINEA. 500 Syli, 1977. NGC PROOF-67 ULTRA CAMEO. Mintage of only 500 pieces. Miriam Makeba, South African singer in exile. Hard mirror fields with frosted cameo devices. Bright and attractive." The coinage of the West African nation of Guinea is sporadic and scanty. Originally a French colony using coinage of French West Africa, Guinea obtained her independence in 1958 in the general rush to decolonization. The original franc-based coinage was mostly commemoratives made and marketed outside the country. In 1971, the franc was retired and the sylis introduced (100 cauris (cowries) = 1 syli). This gold 500 sylis honors Miriam Makeba, nuisance to racists worldwide. It was accompanied by a gold 1000 sylis (Fr-18). The "CNI" mintmark on the reverse indicates that this coin was made in Italy. Guinea returned to the franc in 1985.
Recorded mintage: 500 plus 500 proofs.
Specification: 40 g, 0.925 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM-46.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Ponterio, Rick, et al., The May 2017 Collector's Choice Sale, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2017.
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