NEWP: Rare 1969 Biafra Crown
Zohar
Posts: 6,638 ✭✭✭✭✭
Bought this one completely outside my collection scope due to the interesting short lived history around it.
1969 Biafra Republic Crown. KM-5. Obv: Bust of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, chief of staff during Biafra's brief independence 1967-1970. Rev: Palm tree at center, motto at the top and value at the bottom in the outer margin. Little is known about this seldom encountered commemorative, probably intended for two years of independence, and inscribed "independence and liberty." No specimen has appeared in any other auction outside of ours to our knowledge. It has been suggested that it was produced by an Italian operation known as Istituto Numismatico Europeo, but there is no evidence to confirm this assumption. Uncertain letters, perhaps N.C.R., beneath the trunk of the palm tree and letter C at base of palm may reflect mint and designer's initials. In any case, the style & arrangement are totally different from any of the other issues struck for Biafra during its ephemeral existence. One the rarest of modern crown coins and this the finest graded by PCGS and second finest at NGC. PCGS MS-63.
Comments
cool, never seen one of those before
That makes two of us. Great coin and thanks for the write-up, Z!
8 Reales Madness Collection
Nice palm tree. Guess they were optimistic before the war happened
BST: endeavor1967, synchr, kliao, Outhaul, Donttellthewife, U1Chicago, ajaan, mCarney1173, SurfinHi, MWallace, Sandman70gt, mustanggt, Pittstate03, Lazybones, Walkerguy21D, coinandcurrency242 , thebigeng, Collectorcoins, JimTyler, USMarine6, Elkevvo, Coll3ctor, Yorkshireman, CUKevin, ranshdow, CoinHunter4, bennybravo, Centsearcher, braddick, Windycity, ZoidMeister, mirabela, JJM, RichURich, Bullsitter, jmski52, LukeMarshall, coinsarefun, MichaelDixon, NickPatton, ProfLiz, Twobitcollector,Jesbroken oih82w8
Wow, nice! I collect Biafra and always wanted this one but at least you were able to get it. I remember reading the story of the minting of it a while back - quite a bit of shady stuff as I recall.
The aluminum sixpence is a real stopper as well, and was a pattern IMHO.
Well, just Love coins, period.