Pacific Island Country Coins
1. Origin
I used to know that my father had a hobby of collecting coins. Since my father passed away, I have done a little bit of summing up the coins left by my grandmother and my father. I only think that the foreign coins left by my father are a big part of the franc. Until recently, I have had time to carefully sort out these coins and do some research. I found some interesting things. I will share with you today the coins from the Pacific island countries.
▲Suspected franc coin One
▲Suspected franc coin Two
2. Finding
In order to sort out these foreign coins, I tried to understand them. I used a web page to exchange coins called uCoin, which lists the years, pictures, and valuations of coins from all over the world. When I use this page to find out the relevant information of these "Fran", I find that these coins are not francs at all. To be exact, these are not the francs used in France of Europe, but used in the French territory of the Pacific! After comparing, finally clarify that these are coins were from French New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and the New Hebrides Condominium.
These strange place names caused my curiosity. I used Google Maps to check their location. The French New Caledonia and the New Hebrides are located in the Pacific Ocean in northeastern of Australia. The French New Caledonia is in south, the New Hebrides archipelago is located in the north, and the New Hebrides archipelago has been independent in 1980 and changed to the Republic of Vanuatu. The French Polynesia is on the farther east Pacific Ocean, and the famous Tahiti is the largest island in the French Polynesian Islands. And in the vast Pacific Ocean between the three archipelagos, there are two island nations I know: Fiji and Tonga. And the coins of these two countries are also collected in the iron box of these Pacific francs.
▲Pacific Island Location Map
I. Pacific Franc
The French New Caledonia, the French Polynesia, and New Hebrides Condominium all belonged to the French territory. So there is a great consistency in the appearance of coins. The front of coins have only two kinds: the statue of Liberty or Statue of Protection with a torch. The back is mainly a local landscape, unique biological species or traditional utensils. Here is the arrangement of the French Pacific Island coins in my hand:
| Country | No | Currency | Year | Diameter (cm) | Front | Back |
|
New Caledonia |
1 | 20 | 1970 | 2.8 | Statue of Liberty | Three bulls heads |
| 2 | 10 | 1970 | 2.4 | Statue of Liberty | Sailboat | |
| 3 | 5 | 1952 | 3.1 | Statue of Protection with a torch | Kagu bird statue | |
|
New Hebrides Condominium |
1 | 100 | 1966 | 3.7 | Statue of Liberty | Bisj rod or Totem rod |
| 2 | 20 | 1970 | 2.8 | Statue of Liberty | Local mask pattern | |
| 3 | 20 | 1967 | 2.8 | Statue of Liberty | Local mask pattern | |
| 4 | 10 | 1970 | 2.4 | Statue of Liberty | Local mask pattern | |
| 5 | 5 | 1970 | 2.4 | Statue of Liberty | Frigate bird pattern | |
| 6 | 1 | 1970 | 1.7 | Statue of Liberty | Frigate bird pattern | |
|
French Polynesia |
1 | 50 | 1967 | 3.3 | Statue of Liberty | Moorea Port |
| 2 | 20 | 1967 | 2.8 | Statue of Liberty | Flower, vanilla bud and bread fruit pattern | |
| 3 | 20 | 1969 | 2.8 | Statue of Liberty | Flower, vanilla bud and bread fruit pattern | |
| 4 | 20 | 1970 | 2.8 | Statue of Liberty | Flower, vanilla bud and bread fruit pattern | |
| 5 | 10 | 1967 | 2.4 | Statue of Liberty | Tribal mask pattern | |
| 6 | 5 | 1952 | 3.1 | Statue of Protection with a torch | Local seaside scenery pattern | |
| 7 | 5 | 1965 | 3.1 | Statue of Protection with a torch | Local seaside scenery pattern | |
| 8 | 2 | 1965 | 2.7 | Statue of Protection with a torch | Local seaside scenery pattern | |
| 9 | 1 | 1965 | 2.3 | Statue of Protection with a torch | Local seaside scenery pattern |
● French New Caledonia, still a French territory, the final result of the independent referendum on November 4, 2018 is not independent. Two independent referendums will be held before 2022. The coin casting period I currently have on my hand is from 1952 to 1970.
▲ New Caledonia 20 francs front: The Statue of Liberty
▲ New Caledonia 20 francs back: Three bulls heads
▲ New Caledonia 10 francs front: The Statue of Liberty
▲ New Caledonia 10 francs back: Sailboat
▲ New Caledonia 5 francs front: The Statue of Protection with a torch
▲New Caledonia 5 francs back: Kagu bird. The local birds are unique, and they can hardly fly. They build branches on the ground with branches, and are close to the extinction because of predation.
● New Hebrides was independent in 1980 and established the Republic of Vanuatu. The coins on my hand were cast from 1966 to 1970 in the French colonial period.
▲ New Hebrides 100 francs front: The Statue of Liberty
▲New Hebrides 100 francs back: The Bisj rod or Totem rod (A ritual artifact. An animal or face is engraved on a piece of wood.)
▲ New Hebrides 20 francs front: The Statue of Liberty
▲ New Hebrides 20 francs back:A local mask
▲ New Hebrides 5 francs front: The Statue of Liberty
▲ New Hebrides 5 francs back: A frigate bird
▲ New Hebrides 1 franc front: The Statue of Liberty
▲ New Hebrides 1 franc back: A frigate bird
● French Polynesia, which is still a French territory. Coins on hand are minted from 1965 to 1970.
▲ Polynesian 50 francs front: The Statue of Liberty
▲Polynesia 50 franc back: The port of Moorea
▲ Polynesian 20 francs front: The Statue of Liberty
▲ Polynesian 20 franc back: The flowers, vanilla buds and bread fruit
▲ Polynesian 10 francs front: The Statue of Liberty
▲ Polynesian 10 francs back: A tribal mask
▲ Polynesian 5 francs front: The Statue of Protection with a torch
▲ Polynesian 5 francs back: Local seaside scenery
▲ Polynesian 2 francs front: The Statue of Protection with a torch
▲ Polynesian 2 francs back: Local seaside scenery
▲ Polynesian 1 francs front: The Statue of Protection with a torch
▲ Polynesian 1 francs back: Local seaside scenery
II. British Pacific Colony Coin
Both Fiji and Tonga have belonged to the British territory, but the appearance of the coins is not the same (perhaps there are not enough coins in my hand). Fiji coins are frontal portraits of Queen Elizabeth II, and the back are local traditional utensils. The front of Tonga coin is the taro, and the back is the wording of the Planned family (I do not know the historical background at the time, I hope that the informed person advises), the following is the arrangement of the British Pacific Island coin in my hand:
| Country | No | Currency | Year | Diameter (cm) | Front | Back |
|
Fuji |
1 | 20 cent | 1969 | 2.8 | Side portrait of Queen Elizabeth II | Amulet made from whale teeth |
| 2 | 10 cent | 1969 | 2.3 | Side portrait of Queen Elizabeth II | Fijian traditional weapons | |
| 3 | 5 cent | 1969 | 1.9 | Side portrait of Queen Elizabeth II | Fiji drum | |
| 4 | 2 cent | 1969 | 2 | Side portrait of Queen Elizabeth II | Fijian traditional fan | |
| 5 | 1 cent | 1969 | 1.8 | Side portrait of Queen Elizabeth II | Fiji traditional utensils | |
| Tonga | 1 | 2 cent | 1981 | 2.1 | Taro | Planned family |
● Fiji was originally a British colony. It was independent in 1970. The coins in hand are all cast in the colonial period of 1969.
▲Fiji 20 cents front: Portrait of Elizabeth II
▲Fiji 20 cents back: A talisman made of whale teeth - Tabua
▲Fiji 10 cents front: Portrait of Elizabeth II
▲Fiji 10 cents back: Fijian traditional weapons - Iula tavatava
▲Fiji 5 cents front: Portrait of Elizabeth II
▲ Fiji 5 cents back: Fiji drums - Lali
▲Fiji 2 cents front: Portrait of Elizabeth II
▲Fiji 2 cents back: Fijian traditional fan
▲Fiji 1 cent front: Portrait of Elizabeth II
▲ Fiji 1 cent back: Fijian traditional utensils - Tanoa
● Tonga was originally one of the British protected areas. In the same way as Fiji was independent in 1970. Only one coin was obtained, which was cast after independence in 1981.
▲ Tonga 2 cents front: Taro
▲ Tonga 2 cents back: Wording of the Planned family
The above is about the introduction of the Pacific Island countries' coins in my hand. I will come back to introduce other coins next time.