1 Cent Uniface Copper Piedfort Trial

The British North Borneo Chartered Company received its royal charter in November 1881, making 1882 the first year in which the company could legitimately issue its own coinage. Piedforts — struck at double or greater thickness on overweight planchets — were produced at this stage as approval pieces, submitted to demonstrate die quality before full production commenced. A uniface strike isolates a single die, suggesting this piece was part of the obverse evaluation process rather than a paired presentation.

Singh's plate listing without a assigned number signals extreme rarity: documented but essentially uncatalogued in any meaningful census.