KEELING COCOS ISLANDS. John Clunies-Ross Plantation, 1827-1978. 1 Rupee 1913 (Plastic, 30x30 mm, 1.92 g, 12 h). KEELING COCOS ISLANDS Coat of arms, •1910• below. Rev. 390 / R. 1 / J. S. CLUNIES ROSS / 1913 in four lines. KM Tn 5. Rare, mintage of only 2,000 pieces. Minor marks, otherwise, about extremely fine.



These 1913 Rupees were plantation tokens produced by the Clunies-Ross Family, who controlled the islands and their coconut plantations. They were used to pay workers and circulated mainly within the family's company-run economy.

What makes them especially remarkable is that they were struck in an early plastic material known as ivorine or celluloid, making them among the earliest plastic monetary issues in the world.