Griquatown 1815-16 Fivepence - XF details- ULTRA SCARCE !! Start @ R1 !!!!

1815-16 Griquatown Five Pence XF details

Mintage: Unknown

NGC: 9 coins graded

One of the first coin series of four (1/4,1/2,5Pence,10Pence) to be minted for an Indigenous group of people in South Africa. This is supported by Parsons,Becklake,Rosenthal,Engelbrecht and Hern in their respective books.

Coin designed by Thomas Halliday who did his work in Newhall Street Birmingham (1798 to 1813) and was a product of a Private Mint as the Royal Mint did not make cheaper Copper and Silver coins being only involved with more valuable Coinage production for the Upper Classes.

The demands of the Industrial Revolution at the time were such that Copper and Silver Coins were in big demand and Private Mints met this need and apparently made good money by minting money!.Halliday also designed coins that were used in the Isle of Man.

Reverend Campbell who worked for the London Missionary Society (but did not get their permission) instructed Halliday to produce these Griqua Coins for the Griqua People who were semi-resident at Klaarwater near Kimberley.

The coins carry no date but were sent to South Africa in 1815 and 1816. Their circulation was very limited and did not last for more than two years it is thought. 

It is thought to be the only example of Missionary Coinage in the World.

Lauer in his Patterns of Griquatown of 1890 several years later replicated the London Missionary Society's Emblem (ie the Dove carrying the Olive branch) in his Griquatown Pattern Series so must have had information about the limited Griquatown Striking.Those Patterns are far more common relatively.

Metal Content: High Quality Silver with some tin added  Av. Diameter:20.96mm Av. Thickness: 0.66mm Av. Mass:2.37gm

Sharp detail with light wear on the high points and Obverse Cleaning lines

An excellent example of a rare coin that enriches South African Numismatic History.

Thanks for looking

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