Trying to identify a coin from 1881

Discussion in 'World Coins' started by NOS, Jan 27, 2005.

  1. NOS

    NOS Former Coin Hoarder

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  3. Aidan Work

    Aidan Work New Member

    Russell,the coin with the scales is a 1 Pysa from Zanzibar,which is now part of Tanzania.It is a very common coin.AH1299 actually converts to 1882.
    The ruler who issued this coin was Sultan Barghash
    bin Said (reigned 1870-88).This coin is popular with collectors of British Commonwealth coins such
    as myself,as Zanzibar became a British Protectorate
    in 1890 in exchange for the island of Heligoland,
    which was ceded to Germany.There is a 1 Pysa dated AH1304 (1887),but this coin has always eluded me.The obverse of the Zanzibari 1 Pysa is very similar to the 1 Pice coins from Mombasa dated 1888,which also has a pair of scales.
     
  4. NOS

    NOS Former Coin Hoarder

    Omgosh I had never even heard of that country until now and I found it right away in my very large book!! My book actually has 1300 as 1882 but I guess they are not all the same. It is amazing at what the internet can do for you. Just today I got the middle coin identified after owning it for 5 years from someone who can read Arabic. Thanks again
     
  5. satootoko

    satootoko Retired

    Welcome aboard NOS.
    Actually, either 1299 or 1300 can appropriately be "translated" as 1882, but 1299 is more commonly referred to that way as that was the western year most overlapping it.

    The AH (After Hejira) dating system used by most Muslim countries starts with Mohammed's flight from Mecca to Medina to avoid persecution. It is lunar based, and 11 days shorter than the standard Gregorian calendar's solar year.

    Specifically, AH1299 was equivalent to November 23, 1881-November 11, 1882; and AH1300 was November 12, 1882-November 1, 1883.
     
  6. NOS

    NOS Former Coin Hoarder

    That is quite interesting. Does that mean the coin could have been minted in 1881 or 2??
     
  7. satootoko

    satootoko Retired

    Exactly. However, statistically the odds are 315-39 that it was produced in '82. :D
     
  8. NOS

    NOS Former Coin Hoarder

    I checked my book with all of that and what you say makes perfect sense. This dating system is quite interesting.
     
  9. Aidan Work

    Aidan Work New Member

    Russell,it is possible for 3 coins to have 3 different AH dates within the same AD year.For example; I have got a Maldive Islands 50 Laari dated 1960,but it has the AH date as AH1389,which is the correct date for 1959 if it corresponded directly.I have got a 1982 Maldive Islands 50 Laari,which is dated AH1402.This corresponds directly.I have not as yet seen a coin with the next year's AH date.

    It must be remembered that Iran & Afghanistan use a slightly different calendar.Such dates are SH as opposed to AH.

    AH - Anno Hegirae. A lunar calendar.
    SH - Like the AH calendar,but this is a solar calendar,not a lunar calendar.
     
  10. NOS

    NOS Former Coin Hoarder

    That all makes perfect sense. Thank you so much for taking the time to tell me of it all!
     
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