Sudan 50 Ghirsh 1972 FAO - two varieties

[natko]

There are two pieces listed in SCWC as KM#56.1 and KM#56.2. Second is much scarcer, listed as "small design", minted in 1976, so I always imagined it would be reduced in size, from 40mm to 30mm, to match 50 Ghirsh KM#69, which was also a commemorative from 1976.

I even ordered it twice since I thought the seller sent me the wrong coin. Thing is, both coin seem to be 40mm in diameter, with newer only redesigned a bit, which can best be noted by the ornaments - touching the beads or not. Here are the photos for the comparison.

Not quite a big difference I would say, much like the other Sudanese varieties that are covered on this forum, but worth clarifying.

[Oklahoman]

I just got my two last week.  I noticed that the denomination on one is an outline, but a solid digit on the other.  I know very little about my Sudanese coins...but I do enjoy them...

[Figleaf]

This design reminded me of a famous story of one of my former bosses, whose father was a colonel in the US army, serving in the Philippines. The colonel had noticed that buffalo excrement on the parade ground made it hazardous for his men to march in a disciplined way. Being a colonel, he simply ordered that the buffaloes (indispensible for hauling cannons ) should be relieving themselves elsewhere.

Shortly after issuing this order, there was commotion on the parade ground. The colonel, disturbed in his many administrative tasks, looked out of the window and saw a cramped buffalo with a Philippine soldier hanging on to its tail, trying to prevent the animal from going against the new orders...

Peter

[agumbe]

I just received my "Small Design" coin a few days ago.  And I got it with the certificate.  So, a long wait of 2+ years has finally ended happily.

[agumbe]

Does anyone have an idea where was this coin minted?  I would also like to learn why did they mint it again in 1976 with a variation in design?

[eurocoin]

Weltmünzkatalog 1901-2000 edition 46 (2017) by Dr Gerhard Schön mentions both variants were minted at the Sudan Mint in Khartoum. Although he lists both variants, he does not mention anything about the pieces with the smaller design having been minted in 1976.

[agumbe]

I just checked my "small design" coin again.  It mentions the year as 1972 and not 1976.  May be they were minted in 1976 but did not change the die of obverse.  Both Krause catalogue of 2017 and FAO catalogue of 2017 do mention about 30,000 mintage in 1976.

[eurocoin]

May be they were minted in 1976 but did not change the die of obverse.

If he had known anything about such thing Schön would have mentioned it in the catalog. He has not done so, so he does not have any such information.