Lebanon 1924 2 piastres
This specimen was lot 72095 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Santa Ana, CA, October 2020), where it sold for $115. The catalog description[1] noted, "LEBANON. 2 Piastres Syriennes, 1924. Paris Mint. PCGS MS-63 Gold Shield. Highly choice and brilliant, with even coloring throughout." Lebanon came under the domination of the Ottoman Turks in 1517, when the Turks defeated the Mamelukes and conquered Egypt. Late in World War One, Turkish rule collapsed after military defeat and the Arab Revolt. The Arabs expected it to be included in the kingdom of Arabia but the Christian locals and the French had other plans. The League of Nations mandated Lebanon and Syria to France in 1920. This is the first issue of coinage for the protectorate. French rule in Lebanon collapsed during World War Two and the region obtained independence but remains contended between Syria and Israel.
Recorded mintage: 1,200,000.
Specification: 2 g, aluminum bronze.
Catalog reference: KM-1; Lec-18.
- 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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