Straits Settlements 1908-H 50 cents
This specimen was lot 51345 in Stack's Bowers Hong Kong auction (Hong Kong, April 2021), where it sold for $1,920. The catalog description[1] noted,
"STRAITS SETTLEMENTS. 50 Cents, 1908-H. Heaton Mint. NGC MS-63. A SCARCE type, this choice minor offers a charming cabinet tone and some appealing underling brilliance."
This denomination was 13.57 g until 1905, then 10.10 g (1907-08), then 8.42 g (1920-21). None were issued after 1921. The Straits Settlements began as a miscellaneous group of trading stations in Southeast Asia and gradually developed into what is now Malaya. This example realized six times the catalog value.
Recorded mintage: 2,669,000 including the London issue.
Specification: 10.1 g, 0.900 fine silver, .292 troy oz ASW, 28 mm diameter, reeded edge.
Catalog reference: KM-24; Prid-34.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The April 2021 Hong Kong Auction, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
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