View source for Italian Somaliland 1914-R rupia

[[Image:Italian Som SB818-23166o.jpg|300px|thumb|from the Stack's Bowers 2018 ANA sale, lot 23166]]
[[Image:Italian Som SB818-23166r.jpg|300px|thumb]]

The region of Somalia became of strategic importance for the European powers after the construction of the Suez Canal in 1869. The British were the first to occupy the region in force, followed by the Italians in 1895 who purchased the coastline south of British Somaliland from the sultan of [[Zanzibar]]. The British took control of the region during WWII, and eventually the British and [[Italy|Italian]] possessions were unified as an independent republic (1960). Somalia has proved to be virtually ungovernable as a nation, with the former British Somaliland breaking away again in 1991 and incessant civil conflict engulfing the remainder.

This specimen was lot 23166 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Philadelphia, August 2018), where it sold for $528. The catalog description<sup>[1]</sup> noted, "ITALIAN SOMALILAND. Rupia, 1914-R. PCGS MS-63 Secure Holder. Struck on the eve of the Great War. Choice quality for the issue, displaying bright luster and minimal tone. Only surpassed by a single example in the PCGS census." This type was struck 1910-15 and 1919-21 (1920, 1921 are rare). It had a face value of 1.66 lire.

''Recorded mintage:'' 300,000.

''Specification:'' 11.663 g, 0.917 silver, 0.3439 oz ASW, 30 mm diameter.

''Catalog reference:'' KM-6; Pag-961, Gig-4.

''[[Bibliography|Source:]]''
* Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, ''Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed.,'' Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
* Gigante, Fabio, ''Gigante 2016: Catalogo Nazionale delle Monete Italiano Dal '700 All'Euro, 24a ed.'' Varese, Italy, 2015. 
* Montenegro, Eupremio, ''Montenegro 2015: Manuale del Collezionista di Monete Italiane, 30 ed.,'' Torino, Italy: Montenegro s.a.s., 2014.
* <sup>[1]</sup>Ponterio, Richard, Kyle Ponterio and Chris Chatigny, ''The August 2018 Philadelphia ANA Auction: World Coins and Selections from the El Dorado Collection of Colombian Coins,'' Santa Ana, CA: [http://www.stacksbowers.com Stack's Bowers LLC], 2018.

''Link to:''
* [[Italian Somaliland 1910-R 1/2 rupee|1910 mezza rupia]]
* [[Italian Somaliland 1913-R rupia|1913 rupia]]
* [[Italian Somaliland 1925-R 5 lire|1925-R 5 lire]]
* [[Somalia 1950 centesimo|1950 centesimo]]
* [[Coins and currency dated 1914]]
* return to coins of [[Somalia]]

[[Category:Selections from the Stack's Bowers 2018 ANA sale]]