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Description

German Colony. Wilhelm II gold 15 Rupien 1916-T MS64 NGC, Tabora mint, KM16.1, J-728b. Arabesque below "T" of OSTAFRIKA variety. A coveted German colonial type revered for its detailed scene of a lone roaring elephant amidst mountains. Velveteen honey-hued surfaces offer precise devices, unsurprising for a near-Gem specimen; the viewer is able to admire tiny details such as the animal's toes, and the ridges along the underside of the trunk.

Often overlooked regarding this wildly popular type is the historical situation surrounding its issuance. The German Empire, in the midst of the First World War, established a mint in Tabora in its East African colony in order to stimulate trade in the face of a British blockade of goods. Indigenous labor was essential in the production of these gold types that have captured the attention of collectors some 100 years later.

Metal: Gold
Diameter: 22mm
Weight: 7.168g
AGW: 0.1728oz
Mintage: 6,395


Estimate: $6,000 - $7,000.

View Certification Details from NGC

Auction Info

Proxy Bidding Ends 
November
6th Thursday 5:50 pm CT
Auction Dates
November
6th-7th Thursday-Friday
Proxy Bidding Time Remaining 
14 Days 16h 32m 47s
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 8
Lot Tracking Activity: 66
Page Views: 206

Buyer's Premium per Lot:
20% of the successful bid (minimum $29) per lot.

This lot is in: 2 - Signature® Floor Session - Platinum Session (Live Floor, Live Phone, Mail, Fax, Internet, and Heritage Live):
(Lots 31001-31125) - 6:00 PM Central Time, Thursday, November 6, 2025.
[Proxy bidding ends ten minutes prior to the session start time. Live Proxy bidding on Heritage Live now starts within 2 hours of when the auction opens for proxy bidding and continues through the live session.]

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Additional Location Info:
Heritage Auctions
2801 W. Airport Freeway
Dallas, TX 75261

Current Bid:
$4,600
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