This beautifull Proof Set was struck at Valcambi Mint in Switzerland, for the newly independent Republic of Biafra in 1969. The World stood by and did nothing as in Rwanda, and Biafra was wiped out by the Nigerians. The set has 5 coins/ 1/2/5/10/25 Pounds Total of 3000 numbered sets(mine=1327) many were melted down since issue date. Total gold content of 5 coins=4.35oz. Obv. Eagle/Sun Rise Rev. Coat of Arms
Biafran coins saw little circulation, there were some 3d, 6d and 1/ coins struck but the country didn't last that long. The paper money was for a time fairly easy to come by as the printer was stuck with a bunch of it still not shipped when the war ended in 1969. I think I remember getting some in a Cheerios box when I was a kid, only wanted the money not the cereal. Most of the L1 notes are still fairly common, but the L5 notes are quite scarce. And as an aside, borders were drawn by colonial powers with absolute clueless thought to putting people who hated each other in the same borders and splitting other tribes across borders. The result, South Sudan, Biafra, Katanga, Eritrea and that hinterland of Africa, Somalia.
Absolutely lovely set. Not only are secessionist Biafran coins difficult to find, but so are Nigerian coins. Pricey, too.
Just thought I would check and see if eBay had any Biafran coins for sale. Not one. Even the stamps were expensive. (I have those.)
Do you know what company distributed these? I suspect it may have been the Caracas-based, and organized crime-linked outfit, Italcambio, owned by the Italian entrepreneur and art collector, Mario Pizzorni. The Valcambi Mint was quite active in this period making commemorative gold pieces for several countries, ones that Italcambio distributed through its worldwide sales network. The gold coins for the 1970 "Five Thousand Years of Glorious History" series of commemoratives for South Korea were also minted by Valcambi, with a tiny fraction of the same designs minted by the Paris Mint. These Korean coins were distributed outside of Korea, (due to central banking laws there) by Italcambio. This set, and its case, look very much like Italcambio products to me. I believe that the Dahomey gold and silver commemoratives of 1971, along with the Khmer Republic (Cambodia) commems of 1974, along with many other were also Valcambi/Italcambio products.
Italcambio rings a bell, I got quite a few coins from them, back when I just started collecting. I remember seeing these Biafran 5 coin proof sets offered for $900 US back then in the classified section of "Coin World". I asked my Dad for a small loan to buy it. I also bought some other gold from Italcambio/ Turkey Deluxe gold 500/250/100/50 /25 Piastres etc. The 1970 Korea AV Proof Set is really nice. I have the massive 1969 Uganda 9 piece AV/AR set. The 1000 Shilling AV coin weighs over 4 oz.!
Italcambio also did a series of medals in gold that featured Mussolini and his entourage that were also sold out of an office in Caracas Venezuela during that time. Don't think they could have distributed the medals in Italy so Venezuela worked for them.
Oh! Thanks for that. I just remember periodic table abbreviations (Au, Ag), so these must be specific to coins and medals(?) And, yes, that IS an amazing set of coins you have there! I can appreciate your interests in coins...
Those abbreviations are (AFAIK) common among collectors of ancient coins; there is also AE for bronze. They are usually not used for modern pieces, but if one collects both ancients and others, it may make sense to use one set of abbreviations. Christian
Super cool looking set of rare gold coins! Are these coins 22k? There's a couple for sale on the pebay right now, just as a heads up to y'all! https://www.ebay.com/itm/Biafra-196...m56c4700007:g:I34AAOSwCqZcyimH&frcectupt=true
Sorry, but I love that proof set Sometimes you can find some of these coins on Heritage Auction site. www.ha
lovely gold set!! I collect world crowns and the biafra crown sized silver coin is rare + pricey. The gold even more pricier!
Yes, I love this set and put mine together one by one. The big one 2.35 oz gold by itself! Got it at Heritage auction about 4 yrs ago. Simply beautiful.
