Straits Settlements 1873 1/2 cent
This specimen was lot 34413 in Heritage sale 3098 (New York, January 2022), where it sold for $720. The catalog description[1] noted, "Straits Settlements: British Colony. Victoria 1/2 Cent 1873 MS61 Brown NGC, Calcutta mint. A seldom encountered date when located in Mint State designations. The example at hand displays a careful level of preservation, retaining generously struck devices hosted on a chestnut planchet peppered with original mint red." This type was struck in 1872-75 and 1883 and is scarce despite the large mintage. It was converted to bronze for the 1884 issue (KM 8a) and given a reeded edge for the 1889 issue (KM 15) when production for circulation ceased.
Recorded mintage: unknown but scarce.
Specification: copper.
Catalog reference: KM 8, Prid-197.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- 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, NYINC World Coins Signature Auction 3098, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2021.
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