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Auction: 1012 - Ancient, English & Foreign Coins & Commemorative Medals
Lot: 764

Keeling-Cocos Islands, a complete set of the John Clunies Ross plastic ´ivory´ tokens dated 1913, octagonal 5-Rupees, 480, round 2-Rupees, 925, square Rupee, 812, octagonal 50-Cents, 598, square 25-Cents, 3399, round 10-Cents, 4960, and oval 5-Cents, 4100 (KM Tn1-7), the 50-Cents and 10-Cents rubbed, the others generally good very fine - extremely fine, scarce as a set (7) Estimate £ 400-500 The Keeling Cocos Islands became an Australian Territory in 1955. Prior to that they were a British Protectorate, nominally part of the Straits Settlements, but in fact ruled by the Clunies Ross family, descendants of Captain John Clunies Ross who settled in the islands in 1827. A note with these tokens, written in Spring 1936, gives an intriguing insight into life on these coral islands. "J S Clunies Ross´ policy was that a native could leave the island, but could never come back, as he didn´t want returnees spreading tales of grandeur in other lands to make his people discontented. No foreign money was allowed to circulate - only the bone money which was used to purchase luxuries in the one store on the island. All essentials for life were provided by Mr Ross, even to providing a house when a couple were married. This set of bone money was given to us by one of the Englishmen working in Mr Ross´ office, as a souvenir of our visit there."

Sold for
£1,000