Name variations on the coinage of the Crown Dependencies

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Guernsey, 8 doubles, 1949.

Guernsey's name was shown as "Guernesey" on its coins, even after the Second World War.

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Guernsey, 3 pence, 1956.

In 1956 Guernsey issued a new design series.

The obverse legend was "S. BALLIVIE INSVLE DE GERNEREVE".

That is Norman French for "Seal of the Bailiwick of the Island of Guernsey".


However, the island's English name appeared on the reverse for the first time.

This was in its modern spelling of GUERNSEY.

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Guernsey, 5 pence, 1982.




Guernsey, 50 pence, 1971.

When Guernsey went decimal, its name no longer appeared on the reverse.

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Guernsey, 1 pound, 1985.

In 1985 Guernsey adopted a new design series. For the first time, Guernsey used the monarch's effigy on the obverse, accompanied by the modern title of "Bailiwick of Guernsey". The old Norman French was swept away with the loss of the old coat of arms. The Guernsey authorities stated openly that the use of the Queen's portrait was intended to give their coinage more appeal to collectors of Commonwealth coins.

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Jersey, one twelfth of a shilling, 1947.

Prior to World War 2 and for some time afterwards, Jersey's coin reverses used the title of "States of Jersey".

A crowned portrait of the monarch appeared on the obverse.

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Jersey, one twelfth of a shilling, 1945.

After Jersey was liberated from the Nazis in 1945, a commemorative 1/12th of a shilling was issued, which used the name of ISLAND OF JERSEY for the first time. This appeared on the reverse of the coin. The same reverse was also used for a commemorative 1/12th of a shilling in 1954, but with a frozen date of 1945, and this time the crowned effigy of Queen Elizabeth II appeared on the obverse. These are the only two coins to show ISLAND OF JERSEY.

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Jersey, one fourth of a shilling, 1957.

Here you see the first Jersey coin to use the title of BAILIWICK OF JERSEY.

It was the one fourth of a shilling, a denomination first issued in 1957.

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Jersey, one twelfth of a shilling, 1947.

In 1960 the first twelfth of a shilling (a commemorative) did the same.

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Jersey, 5 pence, 1968.




Jersey, 5 pence, 1983.

All Jersey's decimal coins show the title on their reverse.

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Isle of Man, half penny, 1971.

Unlike Jersey and Guernsey, the Isle of Man had no predecimal coins in the 20th century.

However, UK, Jersey, Guernsey and Ireland went decimal in 1971.

The Isle of Man did likewise and introduced a full set of its own coins.

The name "ISLE OF MAN" appeared on the reverse.

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Circulation obverse of the Manx coinage from 1971 to 1979.




From 1980, ISLE OF MAN always appeared on the obverse of the coin.

Sometimes it appeared on the reverse too, as on this FAO-themed coin.

However, the pound coin initially followed the previous trend: Elizabeth the Second on the obverse, Isle of Man (or briefly Ellan Vannin) on the reverse. That continued until 1987. Then, from 1988 onwards, the obverse of the pound always included "Isle of Man". See the attached images. I suspect this is because the pound coin scarcely circulated and was really intended for sets. As often noted, the Manx prefer their pound notes, which they still issue.




Left: 10 pence. Top and right: round pound.




Isle of Man, pound coins of 1987 and 1988.

In 1987, the pound coin showed the Manx version of the name only: "Ellan Vannin" - on the REVERSE.

After 1988 it fell into line with the other denominations by showing "ISLE OF MAN" on the obverse.

The legend "Ellan Vannin" was retained on the reverse of the other circulation coins from 1988 to 1995, except for the 10 pence, which retained it until 1992, after which a new design of 10 pence was issued. The non-circulation coins of that set (2 and 5 pounds) may differ - somebody may like to look them up.