Sierra Leone 1791 50 cents
The first specimen was lot 10066 in Ponterio sale 151 (Baltimore, November 2009), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted, "SIERRA LEONE. 50 Cents, 1791. Mintage of only 4,622 pieces. NGC MS-61." The second specimen was lot 33778 in Heritage sale 3064 (Chicago, April 2018), where it sold for $1,140. The catalog description[2] noted, "British Colony. Sierra Leone Company copper Proof 50 Cents 1791 PR62 Brown Cameo NGC. Some field marks present, yet a sharply struck Proof with all features jumping out at you. Rare in copper. From the Jamestown Collection." A series of silver and bronze coins were issued for the projected colony of Sierra Leone in Africa whose capital, Freetown, was to house freed slaves and discharged black soldiers and sailors. The colony failed for the usual reasons and it seems unlikely that the coins issued ever circulated there as most of the survivors are in good condition. Proofs and off-metal strikes are known. This may be the first coin denominated in cents; the first U. S. large cent is dated 1793.
Recorded mintage: 4,622 in silver plus an unknown number of restrikes.
Specification: KM 5: 0.902 fine silver; KM 5a: copper.
Catalog reference: KM 5 (silver), KM 5a (copper), KM 5b (gilt copper).
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- [1]Ponterio, Richard, and Kent Ponterio, Ponterio sale 151: The 2009 Baltimore Auction, Irvine, CA: Bowers and Merena, 2009.
- [2]Cristiano Bierrenbach and Warren Tucker, Heritage World Coin Auction 3064, featuring the Doug Robins Collection of Canadian Tokens, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2018.
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