One Obol 1819, Coin from Ionian Islands - detailed information

One Obol 1819, Coin from Ionian Islands (demonetised 1864)
CoinOne Obol 1819

The United States of the Ionian Islands was formed on 14 November 1815 and was made up of seven principal islands: Corfu, Cephalonia, Zante, Santa Maura, Ithaca, Cerigo and Paxo. These islands are represented by the seven arrows held by the winged lion of St. Mark (a Venetian symbol reflecting the Venetian control of the islands from 1401 until 1797).

The Obol was equivalent to an English halfpenny and is listed as a Halfpenny in some sources.

Coins were minted at the Royal Mint in London and, like the rest of the coinage with the exception of the 30 Lepta coins, do not indicate the denomination in any way.

On some coins there is a dot after the date and on some there isn't. However, this doesn't seem to be a mint mark. According to Remick's Guide and Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins, some of the Ionian coinage was struck at the Ralph Heaton and Sons mint in Birmingham, but there is no indication which. The Greek Wikipedia entry on Ionian coinage only shows Birmingham one Obol (five Lepta) coins; this cannot be true though, since the obols were issued in 1819 and the Heaton Mint was founded in 1850.

MintRoyal Mint Mint MarkNo mint mark Total Mintage 8,279,040 (8.3 million)
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Obverse
Ionian Islands / One Obol 1819 - obverse photo

Winged lion of St. Mark facing to left holding Bible and seven arrows; below, the date 1819. (with a dot after); around above, ΙΟΝΙΚΟΝ ΚΡΑΤΟΣ (Ionian State, in Greek).

Obverse Inscription ΙΟΝΙΚΟΝ ΚΡΑΤΟΣ 1819.
Reverse
Ionian Islands / One Obol 1819 - reverse photo

Figure of Britannia seated facing left with shield and trident; above, BRITANNIA.

Reverse Inscription BRITANNIA
EdgePlainEdge InscriptionNone
Notes

Listed as "Halfpenny" or "5 Oboli" in Atkins 1889.

Some sources indicate some of the coins were minted in Birmingham, but do not indicate a mint mark or list separate mintage.

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One Obol 1819: Known varieties
Variety Proof
Mintage Issued: unknown
Variety Proof (Medal alignment)
Mintage Issued: unknown
Variety Proof (Silver)
Mintage Issued: unknown
Details

Proof in silver, dot after date.

Variety Error: Ceylon mule
Mintage Issued: unknown
Details

Obverse: Portrait of King George III used for the Ceylon one stiver coin of 1815.
Reverse: that shown for the obol of 1819.

No date on either side.

Variety W.W. in exergue
Mintage Issued: unknown
Details

Designer's initials W.W. in exergue on the reverse.

One Obol 1819: References to Information Used
SourceEditionAboutLinkNotes
Atkins, Coins and Tokens of the British Empire 1889 Coin description
Remick, Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins 1971 Mint
Remick, Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins 1971 Mintage
Atkins, Coins and Tokens of the British Empire 1889 Varieties Proof, Error: Ceylon mule
Remick, Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins 1971 Varieties Proof, Silver proof, Error: Ceylon mule, W.W. in exergue
Krause, Standard Catalog of World Coins Varieties Proof (Medal alignment)
All (1) coins of type: One Obol
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One Obol 1819: Details
CountryIonian Islands
CurrencyIonian Obol
Coin TypeOne Obol
Issued1819
ReverseBritannia, Seated
Face Value1 (x Obol)
Total Mintage8,279,040 (8.3 million)
CurrentNo; demonetised 1864
MaterialCopper
DesignerWilliam Wyon
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound
Size28.0000 mm
Mass9.4500 g
OCC IDYMXK-DOKQ-CZNW-OWQJ
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One Obol 1819: Photos
ImageDetails
One Obol 1819: Photo Coin - 1 Obol, Ionian Islands, Greece, 1819 / thumbnail Coin - 1 Obol, Ionian Islands, Greece, 1819
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY
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One Obol 1819: Photo Coin - 1 Obol, Ionian Islands, Greece, 1819 / thumbnail Coin - 1 Obol, Ionian Islands, Greece, 1819
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY
Author:
Source
One Obol 1819: Photo Ionian Islands 1819 obol / thumbnail Ionian Islands 1819 obol
Copyright: CoinFactsWiki / CC BY-SA
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One Obol 1819: Photo Ionian Islands 1819 obol / thumbnail Ionian Islands 1819 obol
Copyright: CoinFactsWiki / CC BY-SA
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Source
One Obol 1819: Catalogue Reference IDs
SourceReference ID
Krause, Standard Catalog of World CoinsIonian Islands / British Administration KM# 32
Krause, Standard Catalog of World CoinsIonian Islands KM# Pn1 (Error: Ceylon mule)
Krause, Standard Catalog of World CoinsIonian Islands KM# Pn3 (Silver proof)
Krause, Standard Catalog of World CoinsIonian Islands KM# Pn4 (W.W. in exergue)