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1/2 Rupee
| Issuer | G. Clunies Ross (Cocos (Keeling) Islands) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1897 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1/2 Rupee |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | KEELING COCOS Y E 1823 ISLANDS 1/2 Exchange for the Sum of ONE HALF RUPEE Keeling Cocos Islands Currency. 1897. |
| Reverse description | The reverse is plain, printed on undecorated white paper with no vignette, lettering, or ornamental elements. |
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| Comments |
George Clunies-Ross ran the Cocos (Keeling) Islands as a personal fiefdom under a grant from Queen Victoria, and the currency he issued was entirely internal — redeemable only at his own store, the sole commercial establishment on the islands. Workers on the copra plantation were paid in these tokens and notes, creating a closed economic loop from which there was no practical exit. The system persisted, largely unchanged, until the Australian government purchased the islands from the Clunies-Ross family in 1978.
At 56 × 47 mm, this is among the smallest paper issues in the colonial record. The 1897 series is hand-signed by George Clunies-Ross himself.