Southern Rhodesia 1947 shilling
This specimen was lot 3081 in Steve Album Auction 54 (Santa Rosa, CA, January 2026), where it sold for $288. The catalog description[1] noted, "SOUTHERN RHODESIA: George VI, 1936-1952, 1 shilling, 1947, a superb example, PCGS graded MS65." Rhodesia, named after diamond magnate Cecil Rhodes, was created a self-governing colony of Britain in 1923. Coinage commenced in 1932. The colony was federated with Northern Rhodesia in 1956 but is now Zimbabwe. This one year type superseded a silver issue of 1945-46 (KM 18a). The final issue of 1948-52 (KM 22) dropped the king's title of "Emperor".
Recorded mintage: 8,000,000 plus proofs.
Specification: 5.66 g, copper-nickel, 23.6 mm diameter, reeded edge, designed by Percy Metcalfe and George Kruger-Gray.
Catalog reference: KM-18b, Y-19a.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Hanbing Feng, Auction 54, featuring selections from the Kenneth A. Bovenkamp Collection of Ottoman Coins, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2025.
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