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East Caribbean States issue coins denominated in crowns and sovereigns

Started by eurocoin, January 25, 2022, 09:17:42 PM

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eurocoin

The East Caribbean States have last year issued coins denominated in crowns and sovereigns. The pieces are double-denominated, they mention both the value in dollars aswell as in crowns and sovereigns respectively. 1 dollar is equal to 1 crown and 10 dollars is equal to 1 sovereign. It seems that the mints are eager to find new issuers for which they can issue pound-like denominated coins, as these sell better amongst British collectors. These collectors are much less interested in coins that are denominated in dollars. The Pitcairn Islands for example last year issued 50 pence "coins" which later turned out to be not legal tender as the Pitcairn Islands under its own laws can only issue coins that are denominated in dollars.

The description of the distributor of these coins mentions the following:

QuoteThese coins are both $5 and 5 Crowns legal tender in the Eastern Caribbean States as shown on the coin's obverse. A variety of currencies are used in the ECS, including Dollars and Crowns.
QuoteThese coins are both $10 and One Sovereign legal tender in the Eastern Caribbean States as shown on the coin's obverse. A variety of currencies are used in the ECS, including Dollars, Crowns and Sovereigns.




<k>

The collector coins of the Turks and Caicos are issued in crowns, but each crown is equivalent to a US dollar. The islanders use the US currency as their own.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

eurocoin

You are right indeed that it is the name of a denomination rather than a different currency (you will understand what I mean). Much of what I wrote remains the same though. By issuing crowns and sovereigns, they try to make the coins more interesting for British collectors. Another distributor mentioned it more clearly:

QuoteThis coin is legal tender in the British Commonwealth territories of the Eastern Caribbean States and carries two face values, $5 and five crowns, reflecting the dollars within the denomination.

Big_M

They started with gold sovereigns/dollars already in 2019. There were two series issued by the Hattons of London commemorating 50th anniversary of Moon landing and 75th D-Day Heroes (Normandy landings).
These were 5 coins sets each ranging from 1/4 to 5 sovereigns, with the consistent ratio of 1 sovereign equal to 10 dollars.

https://hansonslive.hansonsauctioneers.co.uk/m/lot-details/index/catalog/30/lot/10448
https://hattonsoflondon.co.uk/hattons-of-london-buy-back-offer/the-2019-heroes-of-d-day-75th-anniversary-gold-sovereign-range-buy-back-offers/

There is also a large 5 ounce gold D-Day coin but in that case it is denominated as 50 sovereigns/200 dollars, i.e. not consistent with the small coin series nor with the sovereign weight (which would translate to some 20 sovereigns).

https://www.biddr.com/auctions/londoncoins/browse?a=1926&l=2105652

eurocoin

Interesting. So, only the crowns appear to be new. It is just really odd that dollar countries use sovereigns and crowns. It all makes little sense. Very strange indeed that they used a different conversion rate of 1 sovereign equals 4 dollars on that specific 5oz gold D-Day coin of 2019.

The East Caribbean States also still issue collectors coins that are only denominated in dollars. The latter appear to have themes that are related to the US. They are likely also mainly meant for sale in the US market and therefore there is no need to add double denominations.

MCz

These coins are silver and gold so out of my scope of interests but the Queen portrait is interesting. It's not one the frequently used. Do you know who os author of this effigie?

eurocoin

Yes, I was also interested in the portrait. It was made by Chinese coin designer Zhao Qiang, better known as Rocky Zhao. He also designed the reverse of the coin.