Coin
½ Cent (1964) — Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone • 1964 • KM# 16, Schön# 1
Overview
Standard circulation coin from Sierra Leone featuring Sir Milton Margai.
Specifications
- Country
- Sierra Leone
- Year
- 1964
- Composition
- Bronze (97% Copper, 0.5% Tin, 2.5% Zinc)
- Weight
- 2.85 g
- Diameter
- 20.3 mm
- Thickness
- 1.25 mm
- Mint
- Royal Mint (Tower Hill), London, United Kingdom (1810-1975)
- Shape
- Round
- Technique
- Milled
- References
- KM# 16, Schön# 1
- Issuer
- Sierra Leone
Design details
Obverse
Value in number divides two fishes, around, the value in letters, name of the country and date. Ethmalosa Fimbriata, the Bonga shad, is an important fish resource in coastal lagoons.
Reverse
Portrait of Sir Milton Margai facing right.
Collector insights
- Series context: Part of the Standard circulation coins series — collectors typically assemble full-year date runs, so single years within an established series carry demand beyond raw mintage.
- Struck at: Royal Mint (Tower Hill), London, United Kingdom (1810-1975). Confirm the mintmark on your example before comparing prices — same-year issues from different mints often trade at very different levels.
- Mintage vs. survival: Reported mintage of 6,000,000 is high, but circulation attrition, currency-reform meltdowns, and low collector-preservation rates mean uncirculated (MS-63+) examples are meaningfully scarcer than the raw figure suggests. Check third-party population reports (PCGS/NGC) for realistic survival in top grades.
- Catalogue reference: Listed as
KM# 16, Schön# 1. Use this reference code when cross-checking auction archives, dealer inventories, and standard printed catalogues.
Related pieces
More from Sierra Leone
Other ½ Cent issues
Explore more
Browse more items in the full catalog or view Sierra Leone in the country guide.