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10 'Pence' Griqua Town
| Issuer | London Missionary Society (Griquatown) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1814-1816 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Milled |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse displays the denomination numeral '10' prominently in the center of the field, flanked above and below by a pointed lozenge or eye-shaped ornament serving as a decorative separator. The word 'GRIQUA' arcs along the upper portion of the field in large capital letters, while 'TOWN' appears inverted along the lower portion, reflecting the coin's characteristic inverted bi-directional legend. The inscriptions are executed in bold, deeply cut Roman capitals. The entire design is enclosed by a reeded inner border consistent with the obverse. |
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| Edge | Reeded obliquely |
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| Additional information |
The Griqua Town coinage is among the most unusual missionary-issue currency ever produced. The London Missionary Society authorized these pieces not as promotional tokens but as functional currency for the Griqua people of the Northern Cape, who had no reliable medium of exchange. The decision to add tin to the silver alloy was deliberate — a cost-reduction measure that distinguishes this series metallurgically from conventional colonial coinage of the period.
Struck in London and shipped to the mission station, the entire issue spanned only two years before the experiment was effectively abandoned. Surviving pieces are rare in any condition.