Mozambique (1889) thaler
Mozambique became a possession of the Portuguese after a series of agreements with local sultans along the southeast coast of Africa. The first trading post was established in 1505. It remained a Portuguese colony until 1975, when, after a protracted civil war, it was granted independence from Portugal. Coinage of colonial Mozambique was a mixture of countermarked foreign silver coins and regular coinage.
This specimen was lot 805 in the Ponterio Sale 151 (Baltimore, November 2009) and sold for US$220. It is a Austria Maria Teresa thaler, countermarked with the letters 'PM'. The countermarking followed a decree issued on January 5, 1889, and was applied to mostly Indian rupees and Maria Teresa Thalers. The lot description reads: "Lot 9897: MOZAMBIQUE. Taler, ND (ca. 1860). Crowned "PM" countermark on an Austrian Maria Theresa Taler, 1780. VERY FINE."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 28.07 g, 0.8330 silver, 0.7517 oz ASW (host).
Catalog reference: KM-45, cf.Gomes-14.01.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Alberto Gomes and Francisco Antonio Magro, Moedas Portuguesas e do Território Que Hoje é Portugal: Catálogo das Moedas Cunhadas para o Continentes e Ilhas Adjacentes, para os Territórios do Ultramar e Grão-Mestres Portugueses da Ordem de Malta, 6ª Edição, Lisbon: Associação Numismática de Portugal, 2013.
- Ponterio, Richard, and Kent Ponterio, Ponterio sale 151: The 2009 Baltimore Auction, Irvine, CA: Bowers and Merena, 2009.
Link to:
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- return to coins of Mozambique