Rhodesia 1975 5 cents
The first specimen was lot 72931 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice Online Auction (Santa Ana, CA, May 2017), where it sold for $493.50. The catalog description[1] noted, "RHODESIA. 5 Cents, 1975. NGC PROOF-68 ULTRA CAMEO. RARE, from a reported mintage of only 10 pieces. Hard mirror fields with frosted cameo devices and full mint brilliance. Virtually [un]improvable." The second specimen was part of lot 32200 in Heritage sale 3067 (Long Beach, September 2018), where it sold for $3,120. The catalog description[2] noted, "Rhodesia: Republic 6-Piece Certified Proof Set 1975 NGC, 1) 1/2 Cent - PR66 Brown, KM9; 2) Cent - PR66 Brown, KM10; 3) 5 Cents - PR68 Ultra Cameo, KM13; 4) 10 Cents - PR68 Ultra Cameo, KM14; 5) 20 Cents - PR66 Cameo, KM15; 6) 25 Cents - PR67 Cameo, KM16. An extremely rare complete proof set of a mintage supposedly below 10 pieces for each denomination. The copper-nickel shows reflective mirror surfaces overlaid with a light golden tone, whilst the copper has developed vibrant magenta and deep red toning which dazzles the viewer. An elite offering in terms of both rarity and eye-appeal. From the Feeling Good Collection." This type of 1975-77 is common but the proofs are rare. It was accompanied by a half cent, 2½ cents, one cent, ten cents, twenty cents and twenty-five cents. Rhodesia is now Zimbabwe.
Recorded mintage: 3,500,000 + 10 proofs.
Specification: 2.83 g, copper nickel.
Catalog reference: KM-13.
- 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.
- [2]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, 2018 September 6-11 Long Beach Expo World Coins & Ancient Coins Signature Auction #3067, Dallas: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2018.
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