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1 Birr - Menelik II Lion's right foreleg raised - Brass Pattern
| Issuer | Ethiopia |
|---|---|
| Year | 1900 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Birr / Thaler (አንድ፡ብር) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | ዳግማዊ፡ምኒልክ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ ነገሥት ፡ ዘኢትዮጵያ (Translation: His Imperial Majesty Menelik, King of Kings of Ethiopia) |
| Reverse description | The crowned Lion of Judah passant to the right, its right foreleg raised, holding an upright staff bearing a flowing banner or flag in its right paw. The lion wears an imperial crown and is depicted in fine detail with a full mane, standing on a ground line. The Ge'ez legend encircles the design along the beaded border, and the denomination in Ge'ez script appears prominently in the lower exergue. The engraver's signature 'S. CHAPLAIN' is visible in the right field. |
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| Additional information |
This brass piece is a pattern strike — a proposed or trial coin never adopted for circulation. Ethiopia's monetary system in 1900 was in genuine flux: the Maria Theresa Thaler dominated actual commerce, and Menelik II's attempts to establish a nationally issued coinage met persistent resistance from traders who distrusted anything unfamiliar. Pattern strikings from this period exist in multiple metals, suggesting the palace or its European advisors were actively testing options rather than committed to any single alloy.
Brass was ultimately rejected in favor of silver for circulating issues, which almost certainly kept this variant off the market entirely.