Around the World in 80 Coins - The Caribbean

For the second leg of my journey around the world, I head south, to the Caribbean. Coins can tell a story of past and current politics. The first coin is a 2007 25 cent piece from The Bahamas. This coin was minted by the Royal Canadian Mint Winnipeg from nickel plated steel and features The Bahamian Coat of Arms on the Obverse and a small sailboat on the water on the reverse.

This coin is in medal alignment, which means the top of the obverse and reverse are in the same position so to be viewed the coin is flipped over side to side rather than top over bottom in a coin alignment. During the 2000’s, the Bahamas had a stable democratically ran government and strong economy. There was a strong partnership with the United States to slow the illegal drug trade that flowed into the United States. The Bahamas kept it’s independence in matters of a friendly relationship with Cuba, much to America’s disapproval. The next coin, is a 1960 Cuban 5 Centavos piece, minted in Philadelphia. In 1959, Fidel Castro came into political power in Cuba and with that came political tensions with the United States. It was with, that tension, that in 1960 was the last year the US Mint worked with the Cuban government in the minting of Cuban coins. The obverse of this coin features Cuba’s national arms with a wreath with the denomination of ‘cinco centavos’ underneath. On the reverse is a ‘V’ inside a circle of a star and ‘Patria Y Libertad’ (Homeland and Freedom).

Before the influence of Soviet politics there was a strong relationship between the US Mint and the government of Cuba. Charles Barber, famous for the American ‘Barber’ series of dimes, quarters and half dollars designed the 1915 series of Cuban coins.

The third stop in the Caribbean is to the Cayman Islands with a 1990 25 cent piece of copper/nickel composition and reeded edge. In 1959, the Cayman Island gained it’s independence but remained a self-governing British Overseas Territory. With so many other former British colonies a strong connection remained so the coin’s obverse features the Third crowned portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, wearing the George IV State Diadem and was minted at the Royal Mint Llantrisant (Wales). The reverse shows the schooner Kirk B, a sailboat built and used in the Cayman Islands for freight hauling and fishing. With an abundance of natural beauty, the independent Cayman Island government heavily promoted tourism which saw an 800% increase from the 1970s to the 1990s. During those same decades a modernization of the islands telecommunication system all the Cayman Islands to grow into a worldwide center for banking. A Jamacia 50 cent piece from 1975 is the fourth coin. Minted at the Royal Mint Llantrisant (Wales) from copper and nickel and in medal alignment.

But what makes this coin unusual is that ten sided made by milling rather than the traditional hammer and die method. The obverse features the coat of arms of Jamacia, the reverse shows a Bust of Marcus Garvey, a Jamaican political activists. During the 1970s, the world was in the Cold War and Jamacia was not immune to the turmoil. The two political parties in Jamacia accused each other of being under control of the United States or the Soviet Union.

This lead to political violence becoming a common for Jamacia. As a last stop in the Caribbean we look at a 1965 10 cent piece from the British Caribbean Territories Eastern Group. The British Caribbean Territories Eastern Group in 1965 was made up of Trinidad, Tobago, Barbados, Anguilla, Saba, St. Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Granada, British Guiana and the British Virgin Islands. I could not find a lot of information about this group but one could imagine since all the island were small and located close to each their found it beneficial to use a common currency and banking system. The coin was minted by the Royal Mint, London from copper and nickel in medal alignment. A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II looking to the right is on the obverse. The reverse features the Golden Hind, a ship of Sir Francis Drake the famed English explorer.

Many small countries find it more economical to have larger countries mint their coins and it is natural to have a coins minted by a country that is close relationship too. Many of the island in the Caribbean were controlled by and still have strong ties to Great Britain. The countries with British ties use mints in Wales, London or Canada, feature British Royalty and medal orientation. Cuba was a colony of Spain but had to relinquish control to the United States after the Spanish- American War. Before the Communist government came to power Cuban coins had a strong American influence.