Tortola (1805-24) 4 shillings 1-1/2 pence
The British Virgin Islands has been held by the British since 1666. Tortola is the largest of the islands. Under the Leeward Islands administration, Spanish colonial coins were cut and countermarked for use in the colony. Under the Act of Feb. 3, 1801, modification of Spanish colonial coins began. An 8 reales was equivalent to 9 shillings, and various divisions of the original coins resulted in fractional proportions of 9 shillings.[1].
This example of a 4 shillings 1 ½ pence was lot 1330 at the N.Y.I.N.C Auction – Sale 71 by Stack's Bowers Auctions and sold on Jan 7, 2011 for $283. The catalog description reads: "TORTOLA. 4 Shillings 1 1/2 Pence (1/2 Dollar), ND (ca. 1805-24). Type II countermark on a cut 1/2 segment of a Spanish Colonial 8 Reales. NGC GOOD-6."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 0.903 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM-20; Prid-12.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Byrne, Ray, Coins and Tokens of the Caribees, Decatur, IL: Jess Peters, Inc., 1975.
- Ponterio, Richard, and Kent Ponterio, Ponterio sale 158: The 2011 N.Y.I.N.C. Auction, Irvine: Bowers and Merena, 2010.
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