MADAGASCAR (1 of 2)

Two things....

A Telephone Token
Some Madagascan Notgeld

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A Telephone Token

    French influence has been quite apparent in Madagascar’s coins for most of the last 100 years - the French language, the French demomination names (Centimes and Francs) and fact that many types were made by the French mint (those pieces including the privy marks of that mint).

Madagascan Telephone Token
My “REPOBLIKA MALAGASY” telephone token, at 300dpi.

    The legend on the token is “REPOBLIKA MALAGASY” which was the country name from 1958 to 1975 (though used for some years afterwards on some coinage denominations). The only other design element is the pair of French Mint privy marks. These privy marks are the Cornucopia and the Owl, this combination dates the piece to an approximate period of 1958 to 1974. The diameter (18mm), thickness and shape (including groove) of this piece are a match for the much commoner French telephone token type generically dated 1937 (see France Type A-1 in "Catalog of Telephone and Telegraph Tokens", by H. A. Groenendijk, 1989). This Madagascan token though is of a different material to the Copper-Nickel used for the French tokens. Going by the colour of the piece and the light corrison to be seen on it, it would seem to be made from Steel, (a Steel that is not attracted to a magnet).
 



Some Madagascan Notgeld

    Here are all three of the series of Madagascan notegeld as listed, though not illustrated, by “Standard Catalog of World Coins” (KP Books, 36th edition, 2009). The lack of illustrations there is likely due to the fact pieces of this series are seldom offered. All are made from Aluminium.

Madagascar 25 Centimes token KM-Tn1
Madagascar 25 Centimes token KM-Tn1. (Scaled to 200dpi, image from Eugene Freeman)

    The legend reads on this piece reads “SOCIÉTÉ DES MINES D’OR” / “25c” / “DE L’ANDAVAKOËRA”. The legend translates as “Gold mining company of Andavakoëra”. The image is scaled to approximately 200dpi per the stated diameter in SCWC2009 of 21mm.

Madagascar 50 Centimes token KM-Tn2
Madagascar 50 Centimes token KM-Tn2. (Scaled to 200dpi, image from Eugene Freeman)

    The legend on this piece reads “SOCIÉTÉ DES MINES D’OR” / “50c” / “DE L’ANDAVAKOËRA”. The image is scaled to approximately 200dpi per the stated diameter in SCWC2009 of 28mm.

Madagascar 1 Franc token KM-Tn3
Madagascar 1 Franc token KM-Tn3. (Scaled to 200dpi, image from Jim Jacobs)

    The legend on this piece reads “SOCIÉTÉ DES MINES D’OR” / “1F” / “DE L’ANDAVAKOËRA”. The image is scaled at 200dpi and so can be seen to be the diameter as given in SCWC2009 which is 32mm.

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This page started with info and image of the telephone token at May 2005.
Added "Some Madagascan Notgeld" at August 2005.
Added the image of the 1 Franc Notgeld at July 2008.