Syria 1950 pound
This specimen was part of lot 50292 in Ponterio sale 168 (Philadelphia, August 2012), where it sold for $940. The catalog description[1] noted, "SYRIA. 1/2 Pound & Pound, AH 1369 (1950). NGC MS-65. Fr-2-3; KM-84 & 86. Both NGC MS-65." Syria, part of the Ottoman Empire since 1516, broke free as part of the Arab Revolt during World War One but fell under French domination in 1920. French control, never firm, collapsed during World War Two and Syria obtained independence in 1944. The country has been ruled by various dictators since. This coin is not minted either to the standard of a British sovereign (7.98 g) or a French twenty francs (6.45 g).
Recorded mintage: 250,000.
Specification: 6.76 g, 0.900 fine gold, .195 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Fr-2; KM 86.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Ponterio, Richard, Ponterio sale 168: The Official ANA Auction, Irvine, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2012.
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