I was happy to add this coin to my collection not long ago. I like the design and imagery of the reverse. LIBERIA CU Cent (25.5mm, 5.64g, 12h) Dated 1896. Heaton & Sons mint, Birmingham, UK Obverse: REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA, wreathed bust of Liberty left; small H below bust, star at bottom Reverse: Within dotted border, palm tree flanked by setting sun to left and ship under full sail to right; above ship, dove flying left with scroll in beak; ONE CENT along edge above, * 1896 * below References: Numista 12425 Mintage: 358,000 In NGC encapsulation, graded MS65 RB. From the Globus Collection. The Republic of Liberia was officially founded in 1847, but its earliest beginnings may be traced to 1816, with the creation of the American Colonial Society by Presbyterian minister Robert Finley. The purpose of the ACS was to facilitate and assist the establishment of a free colony of former slaves on the west coast of Africa. Over the following decades, nearly twenty thousand former slaves travelled across the Atlantic to settle in the new colony, and on July 24, 1847, the colony declared its independence and became the Republic of Liberia – the first modern republic in Africa. NGC's photos:
These are lovely. I once owned the top-pop proof example of the 1847 cent. Never had the later types like yours.
Wow. Op's coin is awesome! Love the design. Curious about what the scroll means...the bird should know, right? Where was it minted? Is the "H" a mint mark or a designer's initial?
OP's coin is a nice take on "Liberty's" likeness. @lordmarcovan 's coin...that ugly nose on Liberty that is also seen on U.S. early coins is so ...hmm...not appealing?! Nice coin none the less!
Heaton mint, Birmingham, England. Mintmark also seen on British and Canadian coins. I would bet that bird is carrying the Liberian constitution.
Funny how his coin is later but shows a sailing ship, while mine is earlier but shows a steamship. You'd expect it to be the other way around.
Beautiful! I was bidding on one of these (proof) in the same auction but didn't get it. I like the raised rims with incuse legends.
Thanks! I don't know exactly what the scroll represents - there's a Wikipedia page on Liberia's national coat of arms but all it says is "scroll". @lordmarcovan 's guess is probably accurate. The H is indeed a mintmark, Heaton's, in Birmingham, UK.
This is an animation I made of LordM’s proof. I’ve changed my technique since then, so maybe I could do better now - but I’ve always liked the way the waves move under the steamship.
My only Libera coins are more common moderns. This first is a 1937 half cent. Note the representation of Liberty, which does not look very African, has been replaced by an elephant. (Sorry for the poor picture quality. The contrast is not too great in hand, either.) The other, 1972, is the same diameter but thinner coin but is now one cent. The reverse has been modified, with the sailing ship much larger and the legend changed. I don't know, but I would think the bird may possibly be carrying a declaration of manumission. The 1847 steamship may have been the latest technology of the time, but the later substitution of a sailing ship may represent the earliest voyages of those coming from America, before steamships were ocean worthy.
It's funny that the above post noted that the original version of "Liberty" does not look African because I noticed that on my newer coins that has been changed so that she does.
Maybe it’s because originally the coin was minted in England? I was wondering the same thing so I am glad to see they threw off the shackles of imperialism once and for all. Sort of joking above, but also glad to see the change to the image. It’s really dignified and need not apologize in its sheer artistry.
This Liberia coinage is quite nice. On the OP coin, with the magnification, are those carbon spots on the rev?
