Comments on "Milestones in the decimal coinage of Guernsey"

[eurocoin]

I have seen a ducal cap on the internet somewhere, but it was probably on Steven Gibbs' Guernsey coin website which no longer exists.

Must have been on another website as I was unable to find such image on his webiste (which has been archived entirely  in the Waybackmachine). Very strange that there don't seem to be any images of this hat online.

[<k>]

Yep, the layout looks good to me.

Glad you like it. 

I have seen a ducal cap on the internet somewhere, but it was probably on Steven Gibbs' Guernsey coin website which no longer exists. 

I'm glad it does exist, then. I remember Steven Gibbs - I did correspond with him a couple of times. Sorry to hear about his illness.

I'm not sure the Guernsey cost of arms will disappear entirely from their coins.  The Rank-Broadley portrait was so large that there wasn't much room for it.  Had they decided to adopt the Jody Clark one, they may have been able to have a larger coat of arms.

Of all the coins, though, they could have found space for it on the 2 pound coin, which is one of the largest.

[<k>]

Must have been on another website as I was unable to find such image on his webiste (which has been archived entirely  in the Waybackmachine). Very strange that there don't seem to be any images of this hat online.

Thank you for looking, Niels. Maybe the hat will turn up one day - somebody will put it up for auction on ebay or something like that.

[<k>]

I am very grateful to Niels, who has been in touch with the Guernsey authorities, in order to find out some more about this elusive ducal cap that appeared on Guernsey's first 50 pence coin. Sir Anthony Wagner of the Royal College of Arms made this note about the cap (attached). Perhaps our medievalists might find an appropriate image for us.

[<k>]

Dr Ogier, the Island Archivist, also provided this link, with reference to the ducal cap:

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=b4RiBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA69&lpg=PA69&dq=ducal+cap+aquitaine&source=bl&ots=c_b3NK6Mil&sig=jSNBEIW9dWBsgT4anup79ztqULM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiy06u0767NAhVrKMAKHYw-BTIQ6AEIKjAC#v=onepage&q=ducal%20cap%20aquitaine&f=false

[<k>]

The document that Niels sent me also mentions that the gannet on the original penny is intended to represent the island of Alderney, which is an autonomous dependency of Guernsey. Hundreds of gannets live on Alderney. The original two pence coin represents Sark, Guernsey's other dependency. It depicts Sark Windmill.

[<k>]

the original penny is intended to represent the island of Alderney...The original two pence coin represents Sark.

When you think about it, it's quite disgusting that Guernsey thought Sark was only worth two pence, and Alderney wasn't even worth tuppence - just half of that. I'm surprised that the Alderney and Sark militaries took the insult. If they had invaded Guernsey during the night then made a surprise attack on Jersey, they could have been in Moscow by teatime. This is 1971 we're talking. Just imagine if the Berlin Wall had come down in 1971!

[Alan71]

The gannet colony in Alderney is on a small islet just off the coast. Went last year and took a boat trip right round the island.  When we got to the gannet colony, the smell was horrendous.  I've never seen so many birds in one place. Plus it was obviously very noisy as well.

At least the original Guernsey decimal series did actually represent Sark and Alderney.  I can't see anything in the current (1985 and after) series for them.

[<k>]

At least the original Guernsey decimal series did actually represent Sark and Alderney.

The original UK decimal series dedicated the top denomination to Britain (Britannia, even though she's a bladdy Roman); next one down, the 10p, to England; the 5p to Scotland; and the 2p to Wales. Guernsey, however, worked from the bottom up and stopped at 2p. 

[<k>]

Has anybody visited Alderney, an autonomous dependency of Guernsey? Wikipedia says that Guernsey and Jersey coins are usually found there in circulation only in the summer.

I did visit Sark, the other autonomous dependency of Guernsey, but for only part of a day, and I may not even have spent anything when I was there. I was not impressed by Sark, as the inhabited part contains several rather dowdy prefabricated buildings. The Barclay Brothers wanted to modernise and commercialise Sark somewhat a few years ago, but the Sark islanders rejected their plans.

Alderney issues only collector coins, while Sark does not issue any numismatic pieces at all.

[Alan71]

I've been, yes.  As Alderney is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, it's Guernsey coins that are the official currency but, like the others, you'll find plenty of UK change along with that from Jersey.  Similar with Sark and Herm.

Guernsey coins undoubtedly circulate all year round but not sure about UK or Jersey. 

By all accounts the Barclay Brothers came in with their millions and wanted to change Sark to exactly the way they wanted it.  They own the lease of the nearby island of Brecqhou and built a huge mansion on it.  They are extremely unpopular on the island, and local businesses claim to have been driven out by the Barclays.

[<k>]

Thanks, Alan. I didn't know how much non-UK coinage would end up there. I expect that many tourists who spend a week on Guernsey will make the trip to Herm and Sark, as they are fairly close and easily done in less than a day. Alderney is that bit further away, though, unless you take the plane.

[Alan71]

I didn't know how much non-UK coinage would end up there.

Don't you mean "non-Guernsey coinage"?

Thinking again about it, I would say that Guernsey coinage is perhaps more common in Alderney than in Guernsey.  With Guernsey itself getting most of the Bailiwick's UK tourists, and very few of them wanting to pay the quite expensive Aurigny flights, it's probably the island that has the least UK coins.  I remember getting a 1985 Guernsey 20p in change there.  Nothing spectacular about that, but I'd never got one in Guernsey!

I would imagine that the States of Guernsey issues the States of Alderney with Guernsey currency, and they in turn issue it to the banks.  Whether UK coinage gets caught up in this, I don't know.

[<k>]

Don't you mean "non-Guernsey coinage"?

No, I meant non-UK coinage, on the basis that money from Guernsey and Jersey circulates in profusion on both Guernsey and Jersey - as well as the UK money from British tourists.

According to Wikipedia:

In normal use in Alderney, Guernsey and Bank of England banknotes and coins circulate side by side year round, while in the summer tourist season, Jersey notes and coins are also common, as well as Scottish and occasionally even Manx or Northern Irish notes.

[malj1]

I've been, yes.  As Alderney is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, it's Guernsey coins that are the official currency but, like the others, you'll find plenty of UK change along with that from Jersey.  Similar with Sark and Herm.

Guernsey coins undoubtedly circulate all year round but not sure about UK or Jersey. 

By all accounts the Barclay Brothers came in with their millions and wanted to change Sark to exactly the way they wanted it.  They own the lease of the nearby island of Brecqhou and built a huge mansion on it.  They are extremely unpopular on the island, and local businesses claim to have been driven out by the Barclays.

A little more can be seen on my site regarding the Isle of Brecqhou