Summary

50 Sous, Issued by Mauritius, 1822
Minted by Calcutta Mint, India

Obverse Description

At centre palm trees; around, GOUV DE MAURICE ET DEP:

Reverse Description

At centre, pour / 50 / Sous; around, RECU AU BUR DE TRES

Edge Description

Milled

Significance

During the Napoleonic wars, Mauritius, which was at the time called the "Isle de France", was a base from which successful raids on British commercial shipping occurred. Such raids continued until 1810 when a British expedition captured the island. In 1814 under the terms of the Treaty of Paris, Mauritius was ceded to Great Britain with a British guarantee that they would respect the French language, customs and laws of it's inhabitants. These coins, struck at Calcutta in 1822, are in French as a direct result of that guarantee.

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