Circulation sets consisting entirely of FAO-themed coins

[<k>]

The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Its motto is "Fiat panis", which means, "Let there be bread". In 1968 it initiated an international coin program that ended sometime between 2000 and 2005. Coins that were designated as FAO issues usually carried a slogan, though not always.  FAO issues were often regular circulating coins, issued over a period of years or in one year only, or else special one-off collector coins that came in both small and large denominations.

The FAO name often appeared on the coins, either on its own or along with a slogan, such as "Fiat panis", "Food for all", "Increase production", etc. FAO also sponsored various programs such as World Food Day, the World Fisheries Conference, Forestry for Development, and Planned Families. Coins that were issued for these programs carried special slogans that identified the sponsored program. Some FAO coin issues were circulation coins that carried the usual design but with an added FAO slogan. However, some circulating FAO issues featured specially created designs that distinguished them from the standard circulation designs. Such designs usually depicted agricultural scenes, fruit, vegetables, fish or other agricultural produce.

Confusingly, there were many standard circulation coins that were designated as FAO issues but whose legends gave no indication of this: Guernsey's current penny and two pence coins, showing respectively a crab and two cows, are a good example of this. In this topic, those coins do not interest me; I am interested only in visibly obvious FAO-themed coins.

Certain countries, such as Croatia, Macedonia, Jamaica, Swaziland, and the Seychelles have in the past issued FAO-themed coins for two or three different denominations, which circulated simultaneously. However, there are countries whose whole circulation sets carried visible FAO themes, and these are the countries I want to look at in this topic.

See also:

1] FAO: General coins

2] FAO anniversaries on coins

3] FAO: World Fisheries Conference

4] FAO: World Food Day coins

[<k>]

Tonga issued a new design series in 1975, which consisted entirely of FAO-themed coins. The coins illustrated here are not to scale.




The common obverse of the higher denomination coins (10 seniti and upwards).

It featured a portrait of King Taufa'Ahau Tupou IV and the legend "F.A.O".




1  seniti.      Maize.                            Re: Pig.
2  seniti.      Two water melons.        Re: Family planning symbol.
5  seniti.      Hen and chicks.            Re: Bunch of bananas.
10 seniti.      Taufa'Ahau Tupou IV.    Re: Cows grazing.
20 seniti.      Taufa'Ahau Tupou IV.    Re: Bees leaving hive.
50 seniti.      Taufa'Ahau Tupou IV.    Re: Concentric circles of stylised fish.
1  pa'anga.  Taufa'Ahau Tupou IV.    Re: 100 palm trees.

Designer: Maurice Meers, an English graphic designer.




The reverse of the 2 pa'anga reprises the animals and plants seen on the lower denominations.
So far as I know, the 1 and 2 pa'anga coins were minted for collector sets only.
See also:

50 fish on 50 cents: Denomination reflected in design.

Coinage of Tonga.

[<k>]

Tonga introduced a second FAO-themed circulation series in 1981; its designs were devoted to World Food Day. The portrait of the King once again appeared on the obverse of the 10 seniti and higher designs.



1  seniti.  Maize.                      Re: Vanilla plant.
2  seniti.  Family planning.      Re: Taro leaves.
5  seniti.  Hen and chicks.        Re: Coconuts.
10 seniti.  Tupou IV.                Re: Banana tree.
20 seniti.  Tupou IV.                Re: Yams.
50 seniti.  Tupou IV.                Re: Tomatoes.

Designer: Sergio Giandomenico (Mint of Rome).



The rectangular 1 pa'anga collector coin shows a sailing boat on the reverse.




The 2 pa'anga collector coin features cows, pigs and chickens.

[<k>]

1 dobra.      Cocoa plant.
2 dobras.    A goat and kid.
5 dobras.    Maize.
10 dobras.  Chickens, goose, turkey, eggs.
20 dobras.  Gear wheel, coffee plants, pineapple, papaya, peaches and bananas.
São Tomé and Príncipe  (St Thomas and Prince) is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. In 1977 it issued a circulation series consisting entirely of FAO-themed coins. The Portuguese slogan translates as "Let's increase production".

[<k>]

Here is the coat of arms that forms the common obverse of the 1977 São Tomé and Príncipe set.

The supporters are a falcon (left) and a parrot (right).

The motto translates as "Discipline, Unity, Work".

[<k>]

In 1997 São Tomé and Príncipe issued another design series consisting entirely of FAO-themed coins.




The common obverse of the set.



The reverse of the coins carried the slogan in Portuguese, "Let's increase production", as on the previous series.

100  dobras.   Pigeon on sugar cane stalk, with the Pico de Príncipe mountain in the background.

250  dobras.   Peregrine falcon on a mango tree.

500   dobras.  Mona monkey on a sugar cane stalk, with the Pico de São Tomé mountain in the background.

1000 dobras.  Etlingera elatior, also known as torch ginger, red ginger lily, torch lily, Philippine wax flower, and porcelain rose.

2000 dobras.  Fruit of the land.

Designer: Robert Elderton.

[<k>]

See also:

Coinage of Tonga.

Modern coinage of São Tomé e Príncipe (Saint Thomas and Prince).

[<k>]

In 1976 Syria issued a FAO-themed set of circulating commemorative coins.

FAO = Food and Agricultural Organization (of the United Nations).


The common reverse showed the Tabqa Dam, also known as al-Thawra Dam on the Euphrates river.

It is shown within a circle made of a half gear and an oat sprig.


The denominations were 5, 10, 25, 50 qirsh and 1 lira.

The coins were made of brass and nickel.

[<k>]

Obverse of the 5 senti coin of 1976.




Reverse designs of the Somalia 1976 FAO set.

In 1976 Somalia also issued a FAO-themed set of circulating commemorative coins.

The 5 and 50 senti designs featured fruit of the land.

The 10 senti and 1 shilin designs featured a lamb.

[mrbrklyn]

lovely broad collection of coins.