Milestones in the decimal coinage of Gibraltar

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A macaque monkey (Macaca sylvanus) - known locally as "the Barbary ape", even though it is not an ape - was portrayed on the reverse of the five pence, surrounded by a floral motif of candytuft, Gibraltar's floral emblem. This species of macaque is unique for its distribution outside Asia and for its vestigial tail. A local legend says that British rule over the Rock of Gibraltar will end if the macaques ever disappear.

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A Barbary ape in Gibraltar.

 

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The ten pence depicted the Moorish Castle, with the Mediaeval Tower of Homage.

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The Moorish Castle, Gibraltar.

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Statue of "Our Lady of Europe" at the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned, Gibraltar.

The Statue of "Our Lady of Europa" appeared on the reverse of the twenty pence.

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A candytuft, Gibraltar's floral emblem, adorned the reverse of the fifty pence.

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Iberis gibraltarica (Gibraltar candytuft) is a flowering plant of the genus Iberis and the family Brassicaceae. It is the symbol of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve in Gibraltar, but it is actually a native of North Africa. Gibraltar is the only place in Europe where it is found growing in the wild. The candytuft grows from crevices in the limestone, and is often seen growing in abundance from the north face of the Rock of Gibraltar. Its flowers range from pale violet to almost white, and can reach up to 8 cm (3.1 in) across.

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The pound coin featured Gibraltar's coat of arms. Gibraltar's official motto, "Montis insignia calpe", means "Insignia of the Mountain of Calpe", that is, the Rock of Gibraltar.  The edge of the coin has alternate milled and plain sections. There is no edge inscription.


For other pound coin issues, see: Gibraltar: Some 1, 2 and 5 pound commemoratives.

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In 1990 the UK reduced the size and weight of its five pence coin, and Gibraltar followed suit, though it retained the design of the macaque monkey.

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Image © Daniel's Coin Zoo.

The fifty pence coin with the reverse design of the candytuft flower had been issued in 1988 and 1989, but in 1990 a new reverse design was issued of five dolphins swimming in a circle. This was a superb design. It was also reminiscent of the three swirling dolphins seen on the unofficial flag of Anguilla and on its brief independence coinage of the late 1960s.

Designer: Leslie Lindsay.

 

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In 1992 the UK reduced the size and weight of its ten pence coin. Gibraltar followed suit, but this time it used the opportunity to replace the design with one of the Europort building. This reverse design was issued from 1992 until 2003. Curiously, a reduced version of the original ten pence design, showing the Moorish Castle, was also issued in 1994, for one year only. In 1994, then, the two different designs co-circulated.

 

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Images © Daniel's Coin Zoo.

In 1997 the UK reduced the size and weight of its fifty pence coin, and again Gibraltar made the same change to its own fifty pence coin in the same year. Gibraltar kept the same dolphins design that it had used for the larger version of the fifty pence.

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In 1997 Gibraltar released a new circulating denomination: a bimetallic two pound coin. This was in line with the UK, which also tried to introduce its own two pound coin in 1997; however, the electronic signature of the UK coins was wrong, so their issue was postponed until 1998, although the 1997-dated UK coins were also eventually released.

The reverse of the Gibraltar two pound coin shows Hercules strangling the Nemean lion. I do not know to what extent this coin circulated; if Gibraltar had retained its one pound banknote, then it is likely that banknotes would have been more popular than coins, but I have no knowledge of the situation on the ground in Gibraltar at that time.

ALL two pound coins of Gibraltar have a reeded edge and NO edge inscription.


For other 2 pounds issues, see: Gibraltar: Some 1, 2 and 5 pound commemoratives.

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In 1998 the UK introduced a new effigy of the Queen for use on the obverse of its circulation coins. The new portrait was created by Ian Rank- Broadley and replaced the one by Raphael Maklouf. Gibraltar also adopted the new effigy in 1998.

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The cannon of the Ince battery appeared on the reverse of the two pound coins of 2002 and 2003.

See also: Gibraltar: Some 1, 2 and 5 pound commemoratives.