Indian ½ Rupee counterstamped Victoria

Features

Issuer	French Somaliland (Djibouti)
Period	Third Republic (1870-1940)
Type	Standard circulation coin
Years	1877-1901
Value	½ Rupee (0.5)
Composition	Silver (.916)
Weight	6 g
Diameter	24.5 mm
Thickness	1.2 mm
Shape	Round
Technique	Counterstamped
Orientation	Medal alignment ↑↑
Demonetized	Yes
Number	N# 142810 Numista type number (https://en.numista.com/help/what-is-the-n-number-visible-in-the-catalogue-33.html)
References	KM# 1 Tracy L. Schmidt (editor); 2019. Standard Catalog of World Coins / 2001-Date (14th edition). Krause Publications, Stevens Point, Wisconsin, USA. And 5 more volumes.

Obverse

Crowned head of Queen Victoria facing left counterstamped with "Abd Latif Sane'a al Fiddah : bi Jibuti" in Arabic letters.

Lettering:
VICTORIA EMPRESS

عبد لطيف
صانع الفضَّة
بجيبوتي

Translation:
Abd (al) Latif
Silver Maker
in Djibouti

Engraver: William Wyon

William Wyon RA, was official chief engraver at the Royal Mint from 1828 until his death.

Reverse

Denomination and date surrounded by wreath.

Lettering:
HALF
RUPEE
INDIA

Edge

Milled

Comments

In 1862 French merchants bought Obock, a little harbour on the Red Sea. In 1868, shipowners from Marseille settled in Tadjoura gulf. These territories were then sold to the French government in 1884 and this latter extended its protectorate overall this desertic region which sole advantage of was its strategic position after the Suez Canal being bored. In 1896, Obock, Tadjoura, Damakil and Somali territories became the French Somaliland which capital of is Djibouti. Before WW1, foreign coins were mostly circulating in this territory. Indeed, metropolitan coins were legal tender, but they were too scarce. On November 21st 1885, this obliged Commandant Lagarde to enact an order giving legal tender to Austrian Maria-Theresia Thalers and to British India Rupees and Half Rupees  (in the reign of Victoria).

Here, the counter stamp is engraved over a Victoria 1/2 Rupee.

See also

• ½ Rupee - Victoria

Manage my collection

Please sign in or create an account to manage your collection.

Get this coin

No member from this site currently wants to exchange it.

» Buy coins from the French Somaliland

Contribute to the catalogue