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Coins
The Palestine Currency Board, after consulting with
the Mandatory government officials, decided that the coins should be
in the denominations of 1 and 2 mils (bronze), 5, 10, and 20 mils
(nickel-bronze with center hole), and 50 and 100 mils (silver with
reeded, or milled edges). For the two highest denominations, the
Board adopted, with the approval of the Secretary of State for the
Colonies, an alloy of 720 parts silver and 280 parts copper.
Although a gold coin equal to £1 was provided for in the Currency
Order in a silver/gold ratio of 10.5:1, none were ever minted.
From their initial
introduction on the eve on the tenth anniversary of the Balfour
Declaration (November 1, 1927), the coins were minted as needed to
meet public demands. Unlike the United States for example, coins
were not struck with all the possible year dates from 1927 to the
termination of the Mandate in 1948. In all, there were 59 different
combinations of dates and denominations comprising the entire range
of regularly issued coinage. The 1947-dated coins, which were not
officially released for circulation, are not part of the total
number accepted by collectors as to what constitutes a complete set
of coins. After the termination of the Palestine Mandate and the
creation of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948, the coins issued by
the Palestine Currency Board remained legal tender in Israel until
September 15, 1948; in the Gaza Strip region of Egypt until June 9,
1951; and in Jordan until June 30, 1951. Beyond these dates, the
coins were demonetized. From Howard
M. Berlin Book.
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1
Mil
|
21 mm diameter, 3.23 grams (50 grains), plain edge |
|
Year |
Mintage |
Composition |
|
1927 |
10,000,000* (most common date) |
Bronze alloy (95.5% copper, 3% tin, and 1.5% zinc) |
|
1935 |
704,000 |
|
1937 |
1,200,000 |
|
1939 |
3,700,000* |
|
1940 |
396,000 (key date of series) |
|
1941 |
1,920,000 |
|
1942 |
3,040,000 |
Wartime bronze alloy (97% copper, 2.5% zinc, and 0.5% tin) |
|
1943 |
4,320,000 |
|
1944 |
2,400,000 |
|
1946 |
1,632,000* |
Bronze alloy (95.5% copper, 3% tin, and 1.5% zinc) |
|
1947 |
2,880,000** |
|
* Proof issues reportedly struck. Mintage unknown
** Entire mintage melted down. Some specimens are known |
2 Mil
|
28 mm diameter, 7.77 grams (120 grains), plain edge |
|
Year |
Mintage |
Composition |
|
1927 |
5,000,000* (most common date) |
Bronze alloy (95.5% copper, 3% tin, and 1.5% zinc) |
|
1941 |
1,600,000 |
|
1942 |
2,400,000 |
Wartime bronze alloy (95.5% copper, 3% tin, and 1.5% zinc) |
|
1945 |
960,000 (key date of series) |
|
1946 |
960,000 (key date of series) |
Bronze alloy (95.5% copper, 3% tin, and 1.5% zinc) |
|
1947 |
484,000** |
|
* Proof issues reportedly struck. Mintage unknown
** Entire mintage melted down. Some specimens are known |
5
Mils
|
20 mm diameter, 2.91 grams (45 grains), plain edge with center hole |
|
Year |
Mintage |
Composition |
|
1927 |
10,000,000* (most common date) |
Cupronickel alloy (75% copper and 25% nickel) |
|
1934 |
500,000 (key date) |
|
1935 |
2,700,000 |
|
1939 |
2,000,000* |
|
1941 |
400,000 (key date of series) |
|
1942 |
2,700,000 |
Bronze alloy (97% copper, 2.5% zinc, and 0.5% tin) |
|
1944 |
1,000,000 |
|
1946 |
1,000,000 |
Cupronickel alloy (75% copper and 25% nickel) |
|
1947 |
1,000,000** |
|
* Proof issues reportedly struck. Mintage unknown
** Entire mintage melted down. Some specimens are known |
10
Mils
|
27 mm diameter, 6.47 grams (100 grains), plain edge with center hole |
|
Date |
Mintage |
Composition |
|
1927 |
5,000,000* (most common date) |
Cupronickel alloy (75% copper and 25% nickel) |
|
1933 |
500,000* |
|
1934 |
500,000* (key date of series) |
|
1935 |
1,150,000* |
|
1937 |
750,000* (key date of series) |
|
1939 |
1,000,000* |
|
1940 |
1,500,000* |
|
1941 |
400,000* (key date of series) |
|
1942 |
600,000 |
|
1942 |
2,000,000 (1942 & 1943)
(key date) |
Bronze alloy (97% copper, 2.5% zinc, and 0.5% tin) |
|
1943 |
|
1946 |
1,000,000* |
Cupronickel alloy (75% copper and 25% nickel) |
|
1947 |
1,000,000** |
|
* Proof issues reportedly struck. Mintage unknown
** Entire mintage melted down. Some specimens are known |
20
Mils
|
30.5 mm diameter, 11.33 grams (175 grains), plain edge with center hole |
|
Date |
Mintage |
Composition |
|
1927 |
1,500,000* (most common date) |
Cupronickel alloy (75% copper and 25% nickel) |
|
1933 |
250,000 |
|
1934 |
125,000 |
|
1935 |
575,000 |
|
1940 |
200,000* |
|
1941 |
100,000* (key date of series) |
|
1942 |
1,000,000 |
Bronze alloy (97% copper, 2.5% zinc, and 0.5% tin) |
|
1944 |
1,000,000 |
|
* Proof issues reportedly struck. Mintage unknown |
50
Mils
|
23.5 mm diameter, 5.83 grams (90 grains), reeded (milled) edge |
|
Date |
Mintage |
Composition |
|
1927 |
8,000,000* (most common date) |
72% silver and 28% copper |
|
1931 |
500,000 (key date of series) |
|
1933 |
1,000,000 |
|
1934 |
398,000 |
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1935 |
5,600,000 |
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1939 |
3,000,000* |
|
1940 |
2,000,000* |
|
1942 |
5,000,000 |
|
* Proof issues reportedly struck. Mintage unknown |
100
Mils
|
29 mm diameter, 11.66 grams (180 grains), reeded (milled) edge |
|
Date |
Mintage |
Composition |
|
1927 |
8,000,000* (most common date) |
72% silver and 28% copper |
|
1931 |
250,000* (key date of series) |
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1933 |
500,000 |
|
1934 |
200,000 |
|
1935 |
2,850,000 |
|
1939 |
1,500,000* |
|
1940 |
1,000,000 |
|
1942 |
2,500,000 |
|
* Proof issues reportedly struck. Mintage unknown |
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