Somaliland, Italian Victor Emmanuel III 1/2 Rupia

History

1/2 Rupia 1915, Somaliland, Italian, Victor Emmanuel III

Obverse. Photo © NumisBids

Description

Italian Somaliland, once a protectorate and later a colony of the Kingdom of Italy in present-day Somalia, was initially governed by Somali Sultanates in the north and various political entities in the south during the 19th century. Italy gradually acquired control through protection treaties in the 1880s.

Resistance to Italian expansion began in the 1890s with the Bimaal and Wa'dan revolts near Merca, coinciding with the anti-colonial Dervish movement in the north. After a two-year military campaign, Rome established authority over the entire region by the end of 1927.

In 1936, Italian Somaliland became part of Italian East Africa as the Somalia Governorate until Italy's loss in 1941 during World War II. British military administration followed until 1950, when it became a United Nations trusteeship under Italian administration. On July 1, 1960, the Trust Territory of Somalia joined with former British Somaliland to create the Somali Republic.

1 Rupia 1915 "First Year of War" - Pagani PP396; Luppino RN167 AG RRRRR. Coin of the utmost rarity, with no other specimens known to have appeared on the market.

Engraver: Luigi Giorgi

Obverse	Person (king, queen, tsar etc.) Victor Emmanuel III Depicts a half-bust of Vittorio Emanuele III facing right surrounded by legend. Engraver's name below. Vittorio Emanuele III Re d'Italia (Italian) means Victor Emmanuel III, King of Italy. Victor Emmanuel III (Italian: Vittorio Emanuele III; 1869–1947) served as the King of Italy from July 29, 1900, until his abdication on May 9, 1946. His nearly 46-year reign saw Italy's involvement in two World Wars and the rise and fall of Italian Fascism. Abdicating in 1946 in favor of his son Umberto II to bolster monarchy support against a successful referendum to abolish it, Victor Emmanuel went into exile in Alexandria, Egypt, where he died and was buried in 1947. Known as "Il Re soldato" (The Soldier King) for leading Italy in both world wars and "Il Re vittorioso" (The Victorious King) after Italy's First World War victory, he was also nicknamed "Sciaboletta" ("little saber") due to his height of 1.53 m (5 ft 0 in). VITTORIO EMANVELE III RE D'ITALIA L•GIORGI
Reverse	Crown, jewelry Savoy Crown Denomination in Arabic and Italian below the crown, date below, country name in Italian above surrounded by a wreath of flowers on both sides. The mint mark (R) above the date with the inscription "1st Year of War" below the country name. The Savoy Crown was created at the time when the House of Savoy attained royal status as the official crown of the Kingdom of Sardinia or Piedmont-Sardinia. Originally, it served as the central piece in a set of crown jewels, unfortunately, all of which were destroyed during the war with France when Napoleon invaded Piedmont and captured Turin. This event led to the House of Savoy relocating to Sardinia. Subsequently, the Savoy Crown was neither replaced nor replicated, and coronations for Savoy monarchs ceased. Despite this, the image of the Savoy Crown persisted throughout the existence of the Kingdom of Italy. SOMALIA ITALIANA I° ANNO DI GVERRA MEZZA RUPIA نصف روپيه R ·1915·
Edge	Reeded (milled)