The coinage of the Cayman Islands

Started by <k>, August 17, 2018, 07:06:50 PM

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<k>


Map of the Caribbean.


From Wikipedia:

The Cayman Islands is an autonomous British Overseas Territory in the western Caribbean Sea. The 264-square-kilometre (102-square-mile) territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located to the south of Cuba and the north-west of Jamaica. The total population of the three islands is approximately 60,765. The capital city is George Town, situated on Grand Cayman.

The Cayman Islands is considered to be part of the geographic Western Caribbean Zone as well as the Greater Antilles. The territory is often considered a major world offshore financial haven for international businesses and many wealthy individuals.

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<k>

#1
Cayman Islands map-.jpg


Cayman Islands map.jpg

Maps of the Cayman Islands.


Grand Cayman is by far the largest of the islands, with an area of 197 km2 (76 sq mi). Grand Cayman's two "sister islands", Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, are about 120 km (75 mi) east north-east of Grand Cayman and have areas of 38 and 28.5 km2 (14.7 and 11.0 sq mi) respectively.

All three islands were formed by large coral heads, covering submerged ice age peaks of western extensions of the Cuban Sierra Maestra range, and are mostly flat. One notable exception to this is The Bluff on Cayman Brac's eastern part, which rises to 43 m (141 ft) above sea level, the highest point on the islands. The terrain is mostly a low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs.
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See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#2

An aerial view of Grand Cayman island.


From Wikipedia:

The Cayman Islands remained largely uninhabited until the 17th century. Folklore suggests that the emergence of the name 'Cayman' is a result of a captive's successful flee from Cromwell's army. His name was Cayman Cushing, and he supposedly initiated the escape. It is believed that several other captives escaped to the islands alongside Cushing. As a result of his bravery, the runaway prisoners settled on what they called the Cayman Islands.

The first recorded permanent inhabitant of the Cayman Islands, Isaac Bodden, was born on Grand Cayman around 1661. He was the grandson of the original settler named Bodden who was probably one of Oliver Cromwell's soldiers at the taking of Jamaica in 1655.

England took formal control of the Cayman Islands, along with Jamaica, as a result of the Treaty of Madrid of 1670. Following several unsuccessful attempts at settlement, a permanent English-speaking population in the islands dates from the 1730s. With settlement, after the first royal land grant by the Governor of Jamaica in 1734, came the perceived need for slaves. Many were brought to the islands from Africa; this is evident today with the majority of native Caymanians being of African and English descent.

The islands continued to be governed as part of the Colony of Jamaica until 1962, when they became a separate Crown colony, while Jamaica became an independent Commonwealth realm.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#3
Flag of the Cayman Islands (pre-1999).png

Flag of the Cayman Islands (pre-1999).


From Wikipedia:

The Cayman Islands' coat of arms was granted in 1958. It consists of a shield, a crested helm and the motto. Three green stars, representing each of the three inhabited Islands (Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac), are set in the lower two-thirds of the shield. The stars rest on blue and white wavy bands representing the sea. In the top third of the shield, against a red background, is a gold lion passant guardant (walking with the further forepaw raised and the body seen from the side), representing Britain. Above the shield is a green turtle on a coil of rope. Behind the turtle is a gold pineapple. The turtle represents the Caymans' seafaring history; the rope, its traditional thatch-rope industry; and the pineapple, its ties with Jamaica.

The islands' motto, "He hath founded it upon the seas", is printed at the bottom of the shield. This line, a verse from Psalm 24 Verse 2, acknowledges the Caymans' Christian heritage, as well as its ties to the sea.

The flag of the Cayman Islands was adopted on 14 May 1958. It showed the Union Flag and the Cayman coat of arms.
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See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#4
Cayman flag.jpg

Flag of the Cayman Islands since 1999.


From Wikipedia:

In 1999 the white disc was removed from the flag, and the arms were more than doubled in size. However, the pre-2005 flag remains popular and is still used on some official occasions. The Cayman Islands Government website describes the flag as a "British blue ensign with the arms on a white disc in the fly". During the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics, and during the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics, the Cayman Islands team marched in under the flag as described on the government website.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#5
INTRODUCTION OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS DOLLAR

From Wikipedia:

The Cayman Islands (currency code KYD) is the currency of the Cayman Islands. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively CI$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. It is subdivided into 100 cents.

The Cayman Islands dollar was introduced in 1972 (10 years after separation from the Colony of Jamaica), replacing the Jamaican dollar at par. Jamaican currency and Cayman Islands dollars both remained legal tender until 1 August 1972, when Jamaican currency ceased to be legal tender. The Cayman Islands dollar has been pegged to the United States dollar, at 1 Cayman Islands dollar = 1.2 U.S. dollars, since 1 April 1974.

In 1972 coins in denominations of 1¢, 5¢, 10¢ and 25¢ were introduced. The 1¢ was struck in bronze, with the other denominations in copper-nickel.
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<k>

#6
Cayman Islands 1c 1972.jpg


The common obverse of the first coins was the Arnold Machin portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.

This portrait was also used on the UK's own coinage of that time.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

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<k>

#7
Cayman Islands 1c 1972-.jpg


The reverse of the 1 cent coin depicts a Grand Cayman thrush (Turdus ravidus).


The Grand Cayman is now extinct.

Causes of its extinction were most likely deforestation.

Also the destruction of its habitat by hurricanes between 1932 and 1944.

The last reliable report of a living Grand Cayman thrush was made in 1938.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#8
Cayman Islands 5 cents.jpg


The reverse of the 5 cents coin depicts a prawn.

Litopenaeus setiferus (formerly Penaeus setiferus) is a species of prawn.

It is found along the Atlantic coast of North America and in the Gulf of Mexico.

It was the subject of the earliest shrimp fishery in the United States.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#9


The reverse of the 10 cents coin depicts a hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata).
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#10
Cayman Islands 25c-.jpg

The reverse of the 25 cents coin features a two-masted Cayman schooner.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#11
The 1, 5, 10 and 25 cent coins are the only coins that are issued for circulation. Like the population of the USA, the Caymanians do not like 50 cent coins or dollar coins.

The circulation coins, and only the circulation coins, were designed by Stuart Devlin. Mr Devlin, who died in April 2018, was best known for designing Australia's decimal coinage. He thought that too many coin designs did not properly fit the circular shape of the coin. He ensured that his own designs did recognise that basic fact. The circularity of his Cayman designs is highly evident. You can also see his initials, SD, on all the coins.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#12
Cayman Islands 25c 1986.jpg


Some of the early Cayman coins were produced by the Franklin Mint.

Their mint mark appears a small "f", on the design above.
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<k>

#13
Cayman Islands 50c 1972-.jpg


Cayman Islands $2 1977.jpg


Stuart Devlin designed the reverses of the circulation coins only.

Some of the early collector proof sets contained 50 cent, $1 and $2 coins.

Their designs clearly show the initials B and O.

These refer to Patrick Brindley and Walter Ott of the Royal Canadian Mint.

They were responsible for the engraving and modelling of these designs.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#14
Cayman 10c 1992-.jpg


The Cayman Islands adopted Raphael Maklouf's effigy of the Queen for its circulation coins in 1987.

Here you see the portrait on a 10 cents coin of 1992.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.