British Colonial coins exceed expectations at Baldwin’s auction
This British West Africa George V brass 2-shilling, thought to be one of only two still in existence, sold for £12,000. Baldwin’s image.
LiveAuctioneers.com provided Internet live bidding.
In Randy Weir’s introduction to the catalog he suggested that, “The price you pay is quickly forgotten when you win the ‘must have’ coin that you have been chasing for years.” A roomful of eager bidders that had flown in from all over the world to witness this remarkable event, obviously had this in mind, resulting in a ‘white glove’ auction with all 818 lots selling for a total of £505,092.
Lots were offered in geographical order and the auction opened with coins from British West Africa. Although the area has not been extensively studied, lots sold well, achieving solid prices across the board. Lot 3202, however, set the bidders alight. This remarkable George V, brass 2-shilling survived the economic hardship of 1929 when 22 million of these coins were melted down. Thought to be one of only two still in existence, it is clear why this semi-prooflike coin ultimately sold for an outstanding £12,000.
The last section of the sale focused on the coinage of Zanzibar, a country that has a very limited history of coinage prior to 1882 when Sultan Barghash began to issue coins. The only gold coin in the section; Lot 3694 a very fine Sultan Barghash idb Sa’id, gold 5-riyals attracted a lot of attention selling for £19,200, double the estimate. Struck in Belgium at the Brussels mint, the 5-ryials was the largest denomination minted under Sultan Barghash, the second Sultan of Zanzibar and one of only two gold coins. During this period the Sultan controlled much of the East Coast of Africa and trading routes, but was targeted by the British and German powers from 1886 onwards for control of the area. Inscribed in Arabic this gold 5-riyals is not just a coin of beauty, but a rare survival from Zanzibar that achieved a worthy and superb price.
Two additional noteworthy lots were a George V farthing, 1928, South Africa (H S7), which sold for £3,600, and a Rhodesia silver proof set, 1939, consisting of a 3-pence, 6-pence, shilling, 2-shillings and half-crown (KM PS3), which brought £7,200.
Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.
ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE
This British West Africa George V brass 2-shilling, thought to be one of only two still in existence, sold for £12,000. Baldwin’s image.
Rare South Africa George V trail/pattern silver florin, dated 1921. Price realized £13,200. Baldwin’s image.
British West Africa George V, brass pattern 3-pence, 1920KN. Price realized: £3,600. Baldwin’s image.
Sierra Leone silver proof dollar, 1791, official mintage of only 40. Price realized: £7,200. Baldwin’s image.
Gold Cost silver pattern 1⁄2-ackey, 1818, head of George III on reverse. Price realized: £2,880. Baldwin’s image.
Gold Cost silver proof ackey, 1818. Price realized: £5,280. Baldwin’s image.
South Africa, Orange free state nickel-plated pattern penny, 1888V, estimated mintage of only 20. Price realized: £5,760. Baldwin’s image.
East Africa George V silver 50-cents/shilling, 1920A, struck in very limited quantities. Price realized: £4,320. Baldwin’s image.
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