The Eidolon Posted July 10, 2022 · Member Share Posted July 10, 2022 I've always enjoyed coins with strange denominations, and like to ponder the reason why a coin in that amount came to be. We had a long thread over at the other form, and I was hoping we could continue a version of it here. A few examples to start off: New purchase: Luxembourg, 2½ Centimes, 1901 Jersey, 1844, 1/26 Shilling. (Jersey had 13 pence to the shilling as a side effect of decimalization during the French Revolution making old denominations unavailable.) Bremen, 2½ Schwaren, 1820 Ceylon, 1½ Pence, 1839 If you have any coins with strange or interesting fractions, please post some! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rrdenarius Posted July 10, 2022 · Member Share Posted July 10, 2022 A similar denomination, but a couple of millennia earlier from Rome: 2.5 (IIS) and 5 (V) Asses 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Conduitt Posted July 10, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted July 10, 2022 (edited) The Cypriot Pound replaced the Turkish Piastre at a rate of 1:180. It was divided into 20 shillings, with a shilling divided into 9 piastres. So if you wanted half a shilling, you needed four and a half piastres. George VI Cyprus Four and a Half Piastres, 1938 Tower. Silver, 19mm, 2.82g. Crowned head left; GEORGIVS VI DEI GRA: REX ET IND: IMP. Two stylized rampant lions left, denomination and date 3/4 surround. Reeded edge (KM 24). Edited July 10, 2022 by John Conduitt 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Conduitt Posted July 10, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted July 10, 2022 (edited) A tenth of a penny doesn't seem that odd, if very small. But the British West African Pound wasn't a decimal currency. It was divided into 20 shillings, and the shillings into 12 pence, so dividing the pence into tenths is awkward. Other countries got half (1/8 penny) and third (1/12 penny) farthings. I don't know how confusing that made calculations! George VI British West Africa Tenth of a Penny, 1952 Tower. Bronze, 20mm, 1.92g. GEORGIVS SEXTVS REX, ONE TENTH OF A PENNY around central hole. Hexagram divides date at bottom; BRITISH WEST AFRICA (KM 26a). Edited July 10, 2022 by John Conduitt 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanxi Posted July 10, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted July 10, 2022 (edited) Here, the unusual, fractional value of 3 mace and 6 candareens corresponds to a value of 50cent. China Emperorr: Pu Yi Provinz: Yunnan Av: Xuan Tong Yuan Bao 宣統元寶 Rv: Dragon Value: 3 mace and 6 candareens = 50 cent Year: 1909-11 AR, 33mm, 13.2g Ref.: Y259 Edited July 10, 2022 by shanxi 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Conduitt Posted July 10, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted July 10, 2022 (edited) This was worth 2 shillings and 4 1⁄2 pence. In 1797, a failed French invasion in Wales caused panic. Gold and silver coins were hoarded and the Royal Mint couldn't produce enough replacements. The Gold Standard was suspended and the Bank of England issued foreign silver coins, usually Spanish Colonial, with a bust of George III within an oval (1797) or octagonal (1804) frame (“the head of a fool on the neck of an ass”). Countermarked 8 reales circulated at 4 shillings 9 pence in 1797 and 5 shillings in 1804. In 1804, the countermark was replaced by a 5 shilling overstrike by Matthew Boulton. Coins outside these years, and non-Spanish coins, were later countermarked for collectors. Some coins were countermarked by forgers or by local assay offices, who had the same punch for stamping silver and collecting taxes. George III Emergency Issue Half Dollar, 1797 Madrid (countermark London). Silver, 32mm, 13.01g. Charles IIII four reales, 1791MF, with 1797 George III oval countermark; countermark with TOL in script, A, M, incuse and C W raised in rectangular indent (S 3767). Edited July 10, 2022 by John Conduitt 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Conduitt Posted July 10, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted July 10, 2022 Issued to provide change for farthing and halfpenny purchases. Farthings and halfpennies were not struck because the mint would only use silver and they would’ve been too small. Elizabeth I Third Issue Three Farthings, 1575Tower. Silver, 13mm, 0.39g. Small crowned bust left, rose behind, inner and outer beaded circle surrounding, initial mark eglantine both sides; E : D : G : ROSA : SINE : SPINA : . Long cross fourchée over quartered shield of arms, date above, CIVI TAS LON DON (S 2571). Elizabeth I Third Issue Threehalfpenny, 1561Tower. Silver, 16mm, 0.71g, medium flan. Crowned bust (3G) of Elizabeth I left, large rose behind head; E · D · G · ROSA · SINE · SPINA; mintmark pheon both sides. Long cross fourchée over small quartered shield of arms below divided date within inner circle; CIVI TAS LON DON (S 2569). 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NathanB Posted July 10, 2022 · Member Share Posted July 10, 2022 I don't have any, but in the early 19th century, Ceylon issued coins with a face value of 1/192 of a Rixdollar. Pretty cool fraction! (Image is a gilt proof coin rather than a business strike, taken from here.) 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewomack Posted July 11, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted July 11, 2022 (edited) ١/٤ or 1/4 Riyal from Saudi Arabia, ١٣٧٤ 1374 Hijri or 1954. The fraction, in Arabic numerals, appears on obverse bottom center. The date appears at bottom center of the obverse's inner circle. Japan 1885 (明治十八年) 1/2 Sen - fraction on obverse and the "半銭" on the reverse means "half sen" Do early US Half Cents count since they have the 1/200 on the reverse? Edited July 11, 2022 by ewomack 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Eidolon Posted July 11, 2022 · Member Author Share Posted July 11, 2022 Portuguese India 1901 1/8 Tanga It doesn't really fit the topic, but here's my other recent Portuguese India purchase: Portuguese India 1959 60 Centavos The monetary system at the time had a strange series of denominations: 10-30-60 centavos and 1-3-6 escudos. I hadn't realized that Portugal retained its Indian colonies until 1961, well after India's 1948 independence from the UK. They were taken from Portugal by force. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expat Posted July 14, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted July 14, 2022 Double denomination. 1892 Gold Austrian 8 Florin/20 Francs 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniard Posted July 14, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted July 14, 2022 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniard Posted July 14, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted July 14, 2022 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniard Posted July 14, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted July 14, 2022 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Snible Posted July 15, 2022 · Member Share Posted July 15, 2022 Yemen has many unusual fractional denominations. Here is a 1/40th Riyal: 1378=1959. 26mmObv: Crescent below (blundered) Accession date 1367; God, Victory 1367 Ahmad al-Hamid al-Din King of the believers Nasir al-Din, God Lord of the WorldsRev: Kalima within circle, lettering surrounds; Struck in Sana'a There's no god but God Year 1379/7 One Fortieth(Purchased from Frank Robinson, 2014) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor DonnaML Posted July 15, 2022 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted July 15, 2022 (edited) I have an 1844 half-farthing and an 1881 third-farthing originally minted for circulation in Ceylon and Malta, respectively, but it seems I've never photographed them. So instead, here's my 16 mm. Edward VII 1902 "coronation model half farthing," manufactured by Lauer, which I've seen variously described as a token and as "toy money": Edited July 15, 2022 by DonnaML 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniard Posted July 15, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted July 15, 2022 Colonial British coinage has a lot of fractional denominations... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expat Posted July 15, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted July 15, 2022 East India Company. 1/4 Anna 1835 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dafydd Posted July 15, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted July 15, 2022 This is one I acquired this month and yet to receive. I bought it out of fascination. These were struck for circulation in Jamaica and Ceylon. I guess that low incomes and inexpensive items to buy encouraged fractional issues. Great Britain. 1 ½ Pence, 1839. S.3915; KM-728. Victoria. Attractively toned. NGC graded AU-58 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniard Posted July 16, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted July 16, 2022 Bronze 1907 1/12 Anna KM#498...(Thin Planchet) Mintage-20,985,600Bronze 1907 1/2 Pice KM#500...(Thin Planchet) Mintage-8,060,231Bronze 1907 1/4 Anna KM#502...(Thin Planchet) Mintage-234,681,600 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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