© Heritage Auctions
© Heritage Auctions
Indian Rupee counterstamped Victoria ND
| Silver (.917) | 11.66 g | 30.79 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 | 11.66 g |
| Diameter | 30.79 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Counterstamped, Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-04 |
| Numista | N#143615 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 92% |
Reverse
Value, date below, wreath surrounds
Script: Latin
Lettering:
ONE
RUPEE
INDIA
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 and to British India and (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 was counterstamped with the portrait of Queen Victoria, indicating that it was issued during the British colonial era in Djibouti and Obock Territory. This coin is a rare example of a colonial-era coin that was issued in the name of a foreign power, highlighting the complex history of colonialism and trade in the region.
