361, Lot: 290. Estimate $300. Sold for $900. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ETHIOPIA, Ethiopian Empire. Ras Tafari (Haile Selassie). 1916-1930. AV Mule Presentation Werk (21mm, 7.32 g, 12h). Addis Ababa mint. Dated EE 1921(1928). Bust left / Lion of Judah. Gill RT8. EF, but struck from worn and rusty dies. Rare.

From the collection of Dr. Lawrence A. Adams, purchased from M. Louis Teller, January 1981.

Struck with an obverse die made for a pattern silver 1/8 birr and reverse die of a Menelik 1/32 birr. To quote from Gill: “The above coin varies widely in weight, the specimens observed ranging between 4.18 and 8.35 grams. The differences are due to the thickness of the planchets used. All of the pieces appear to be crude, struck from a rusty die, which leaves the coins with numerous small, raised pimples or blotches. When Ras Tafari (as Haile Selassie I) traveled around the globe he frequently gave these gold pieces to dignitaries and friends as gifts or tokens of remembrance. It is likely that they were struck later than the indicated date, probably after his elevation to Emperor in 1930.”