Gill Plate Coin
One of Two Known

Triton XIX, Lot: 2326. Estimate $30000. Sold for $65000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ETHIOPIA, Ethiopian Empire. Zewditu I. Empress, 1916-1930. Pattern AV 1 Birr – 8 Werk (40mm, 41.31 g, 1h). Addis Ababa mint. Dated EE 1917 (AD 1925). Crowned and veiled bust left / Crowned Lion of Judah left, head facing, holding banner over shoulder; effaced legend below. Gill Y-A22 (this coin illustrated); KM –; Friedberg 23. Near EF. Struck from 1 Birr dies. Extremely rare – one of only two known.

From the collection of Dr. Lawrence A. Adams. Ex Numismatica Genevensis V (2 December 2008), lot 485; Bowers & Merena (23 March 1988), lot 112.