Expert: Brad Swain - 6/12/2010

Question
We found a Deutsch-Ostafrikanische Gesellschaft 1 rupee (spelt Eine Rupie on the coin) from year 1900. On the other side it says Guilelmus II Imperator with a picture of a helmeted figure. It was found on the southern Tanzanian coast near Lindi. Any information would be appreciated as haven't seen one like it. Also approximate value please. Thanks very much!

Answer
Hi Jeanne, the Germans occupied the area till 1918. There were 209,000 of the these attractive 1 Rupee coins  minted that year featuring German Emperor Wilhelm II (1888-1918). It contains .3437 of an ounce of silver. Collector value may be worth about $10 with heavy wear to around $45 with moderate wear to maybe $125 with light wear. Cleaning coins that leaves them shiny or scratched, even if only by looking with a magnifying glass, will reduce a coin's value by at least half.
You might try Ebay.com for similar pieces for comparison.
You might also try a library for a copy of the Standard Catalog of World Coins for pictures, values and lots more interesting info.
Brad