© Heritage Auctions
© Heritage Auctions
Indian Rupee counterstamped Victoria ND
| Silver (.917) | 11.64 g | 32 mm |
| Issuer | Djibouti › Obock Territory (1862-1896) |
|---|---|
| Period | French Protectorates (1884-1896) Second French Colonial Empire (1896-1946) |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Years | 1892-1914 |
| Value | 1 Rupee |
| Currency | Indian Rupee (1885-1943) |
| Composition | Silver (.917) |
| Weight | 11.64 g |
| Diameter | 32 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Counterstamped, Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-04 |
| Numista | N#143547 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 94% |
Reverse
Value within wreath in English and Urdu (Yek Rupiya), outside wreath English legend & date below.
Scripts: Latin, Urdu
Lettering:
EAST INDIA COMPANY
ONE RUPEE
1840
Edge
Reeded
Comment
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 over all 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 counterstamp is engraved over a Victoria Rupee.
Interesting fact
One interesting fact about this coin is that it is a rare example of a counterstamped coin, meaning that it was issued by a country or territory that did not have its own currency, and instead, used a coin from another country or territory with a counterstamp or overprint to indicate its validity for use in their territory. In this case, the coin was issued by Djibouti, which was a French colony at the time, and it features a counterstamp of the Victoria era Indian Rupee. This coin is a unique piece of numismatic history, showcasing the complexities of currency systems in colonial times.
