How Far Back Can We Go? Second Edition! Ended At 1492 Waiting On 1491

1890 H Canada cent. (Also My 50th post)

1890 s Morgan dollar

1889 Morgan dollar

Guernsey 8 doubles

Before 1909 when Congo became a Belgian colony, the country was named "Congo Free State" in french "Etat Indépendant du Congo". Free unfortunately did not apply to the inhabitants. It was a period of predatory colonialism. "Congo free State" was the personal property of former Belgian King Leopold II, who never even visited the country. (Hard to conceive such 19th century reality in 2014). The coin is a massive (20 g) copper 10 Centimes of 1889.



Coins of Congo Free State have become rare. The silver coinage of 50 Centimes to 5 Francs is hard to find.

1888 O Morgan dollar

1888 British groat (fourpenny piece)



The 1888 groat was the very last issue of a coin that had been part of the British currency system since 1279. The groat was gradually replaced by the silver threepence and sixpence in Tudor times, metamorphosing into the Maundy 4d, but was revived in 1836 at the suggestion of a Member of Parliament called Joseph Hume, which gave the coin its nickname - the 'Joey'. In addition to the UK, these coins also circulated in British Guiana, and the 1888 issue, the first for circulation for 33 years, was intended for use there - though they were still legal tender in the UK.