Sierra Leone (1832) 1/2 dollar
This specimen was lot 31827 in Heritage sale 3107 (Chicago, May 2023), where it sold for $16,800. The catalog description[1] noted,
"Sierra Leone: British Colony. William IV Countermarked 1/2 Dollar (26 Pence) ND (1832) VF35 NGC. Host: Spain Charles IV 4 Reales 1803 S-CN (Segovia mint, KM431.2); Counterstamp: Crowned WR. An extremely scarce British Colonial African issue. The 1/4 Dollar (13 Pence) issues are more commonly seen than these more substantial 1/2 Dollar issues. What makes this offering special is the excellent condition of the both the host coin and countermark. The only two other auction results of this type we could find were holed examples. A marvelous numismatic opportunity awaits the winner of this specimen who may come away with David Vice's plate coin."
The SCWC lists cut quarters of eight reales and uncut four reales for this counterstamp, both very rare. Cut and counterstamped coins, usually on Latin American hosts, exist in a wide variety from the Caribbean but are not so common from Africa.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: host coin 13.54 g, 0.896 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM 13, FT-1 (this coin), Roehrs-359.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, 2023 May 3 - 5 CSNS World Coins Platinum Session and Signature® Auction #3107, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2023.
Link to:
- Sierra Leone (1832) 1/4 dollar c/s on a cut Mexico 8 reales
- Coins and currency dated 1832