Sale: Triton VII, Lot: 1149. Estimate $2000.  Closing Date: Monday, 12 January 2004.  Sold For $2000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ETHIOPIA. Zauditu, Empress Regent. 1916-1930. AV Medallic Quarter Birr [2 Werk] (10.33 gm). M. Danmann, designer. Dated EE 1917 (1925 AD). "Zauditu, Queen of Queens of Ethiopia" in Ethiopian, crowned, veiled, and draped bust left, wearing cross; date in exergue / "The Conqueror, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah" in Ethiopian, crowned lion advancing left, head facing, holding long cruciform staff with banner; denomination in exergue. Gill pg. 128; Friedberg 25; KM M2.2. EF, weak strike. [See color enlargement on plate 21] ($2000)

While serving as regent for the Crown Prince Ras Tafari, Zauditu had prepared in Paris a set of coin dies for presentation strikings. The denominations were in values for silver coins, but most of the known specimens are in gold, with the denomination effaced. Specimens with intact denominations are considerably rarer; Gill (pg. 45) cites one known example of the quarter birr with denomination. The gold piece is often called a 2 Werk, but the weight is closer to 1 1/2 Werk.