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1/2 Rupee - Pemba Countermarked, Victoria
| Issuer | Zanzibar (Tanzania) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1889 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Arabic, Latin |
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| Edge | Reeded |
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| Additional information |
In 1889, the Sultan of Zanzibar authorized a supply of Indian half rupees to be countermarked specifically for circulation on Pemba Island, administratively separated from the main Zanzibar coinage district. The countermark distinguished currency intended for the clove-plantation economy of Pemba, where Indian merchant coinage already dominated informal trade. Surviving countermarked examples are scarce — the operation was small, the island's population modest, and attrition over a century of tropical circulation has been considerable.