Mauritania 1975 500 ouguiya
This specimen was lot 2389 in Goldberg sale 91 (Los Angeles, June 2016), where it sold for $1,997.50. The catalog description[1] noted, "Mauritania. 500 Ouguiya, 1975 NGC MS65. For the 15th Anniversary of Independence. Crescent and star. Reverse: Mine entrence. Only gold coin issued by Mauritania. NGC graded MS-65." Mauritania was part of French West Africa until she obtained independence in 1960. Altho of considerable extent, most of the nation lies in the Sahara desert and is not arable. The country remains poor and backward, subject to frequent coups and military revolts. The CFA franc was used there until 1973, when the ouguiya was adopted. This type is the only gold coin listed for the country.
Recorded mintage: 1,800.
Specification: 26.08 g, .920 fine gold, 0.7714 ounce AGW.
Catalog reference: Fr-1; KM-7.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- 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.
- [1]Goldberg, Ira, Larry Goldberg, John Lavender, Yifu Che, Jason Villareal and Stephen Harvey, Goldberg Sale 91: the Pre-Long Beach Auction, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, 2016.
Link to: