Bidspirit auction | Palestine - German Templer Colony

Palestine - German Templer Colony Tokens - 1/8 Para 1880-1917 - B&C - Haffner CC-14A - Copper, 18mm - NGC XF Details - Extremely Rare - Only a few examples of this type are known, with appearances on the market occurring only a handful of times per decade. A special opportunity for collectors of Palestine and historical tokens. The Templers were German Protestant settlers who separated from the German church under the leadership of Christoph Hoffmann. In 1868 they arrived in the Holy Land seeking to establish a biblical way of life. They settled in Haifa, Jaffa, and Jerusalem, establishing agricultural colonies, schools, community institutions, and commercial enterprises. Due to the chronic shortage of small change in Palestine, the main financial organization of the Templers in Jerusalem issued private tokens for internal circulation between 1880-1917. These tokens circulated in Jerusalem, Jaffa, and Haifa, with denominations corresponding to contemporary Ottoman coinage. Following World War I, most of the tokens were recalled and sold for melting, leaving only a very limited number surviving today. It is believed that the tokens were produced by the Royal Mint of Württemberg. Obverse: The inscription ”B&C.” within a beaded border. Reverse: Denomination “1/8” in center within beaded border.