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5 Pounds
| Issuer | Biafra |
|---|---|
| Year | 1969 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| 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 | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | A bold eagle displayed at centre, clutching a scroll representing the Declaration of Independence. A circular legend THE FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL arcs around the upper periphery, flanked by decorative branches, with the Latin motto SPES (meaning HOPE) incorporated into the design. The denomination FIVE 5 POUNDS is positioned prominently at the base of the design. |
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| Edge | Reeded |
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| Additional information |
Biafra's gold coinage of 1969 was struck during the final, desperate phase of the secession war against Nigeria — a conflict that had already killed millions, largely through the famine deliberately engineered by the federal blockade. The coins were produced in Britain, almost certainly by the Royal Mint's commercial arm, for a government that controlled an ever-shrinking pocket of territory in the southeast. They were never intended for circulation.
Biafra surrendered in January 1970. Most of these pieces exist as proof strikes sold to foreign collectors and sympathizers as hard-currency fundraising.