Thematic sets from the 1920s to date

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1994.

Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. Its war of independence lasted from 1991 to 1995. In 1994, while still at war, it issued the coinage that it still uses today. Many of the coins were dated 1993, but were not issued until 1994. In the Croatian currency, 100 lipe equals 1 kuna. The name kuna derives from the Croatian for marten, and that animal is seen on the obverse of the 1, 2 and 5 kuna coins, whilst the name lipa comes from the Croatian for lime tree, and a lime tree leaf appears on the obverse of the 1 lipa to 50 lipa coins.

The designs have been issued in various versions: with the animal or plant name either in the Croat language or in the Latin scientific version, while in 1999 and in 2004 dates were added to mark the fifth and tenth anniversaries respectively of the Croatian currency. In 1995 three of the coins were also issued with amended designs, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of FAO, the Food and Agricultural Organisation.

See: Croatia: post-Yugoslav coinage.

 


1   lipa.    Corn cob.
2   lipe.    Vine plant.   
5   lipa.    Oak tree.     
10 lipa.    Tobacco plant.
20 lipa.    Olive branch.
50 lipa.    Degenia velebetica.
1   kuna.  Nightingale.   
2   kune.  Blue-fin tuna.
5   kuna.  Brown bear.   

Designer: Kuzma Kovačić.

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1994.

Cuba issued a convertible peso series for Western tourists, with designs devoted to well known Cuban landmarks. The one cent coin was not added until the year 2000.

See also:

1] Circulation sets depicting buildings.

2] Cuba: coins of the convertible peso.




1   centavo.     Plaza de la Revolucion, Havana.
5   centavos.   Colonial style house.
10 centavos.   Castillo de la Fuerza, Havana
25 centavos.   Church of the Trinity, Havana.
50 centavos.   Havana Cathedral.
1   peso.          Guama, reconstruction of indian village.

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1995.

In this year there were no new sets that meet my criteria for inclusion in this topic.

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1996.

Albania issued its first full post-communist coinage set. The designs are competent but somehow do not gel as a set. Also unusual was the decision to use the stylistically very old-fashioned device of the wreath (or spray) on the reverse of the coins.

See also: Post-communist coinage of Albania.




1    lek.    Pelican.
5    leke.  Double-headed eagle.
10  leke.  Castle of Berat city.
20  leke.  Ancient ship + dolphin.
50  leke.  King Gent of Illyria on horseback.

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1996.

Guyana  issued three new circulating denominations, with designs celebrating the country's economy.

See: Coinage of independent Guyana.


$1.    Rice harvest.                  D: Sean Thomas.
$5.    Sugar cane.                    D: Selwyn Cambridge.
$10.  Traditional gold mining.  D: Ignatious Adams.

D = Designer.

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1996.

The Isle of Man released a new design series on the theme of sport. The bimetallic 2 pound coin was added in 1997.

See also: Milestones in the decimal coinage of the Isle of Man




1p.    Rugby.
2p.    Cycling.
5p.    Golf.
10p.  Sailing.
20p.  Motor racing.
50p.  Motorcycling.
£1.    Cricket.
£2.    A Jaguar, Rolls-Royce and Napier in a vintage car rally.

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1996.

Sierra Leone released an attractive set of circulation coins.

See: The coinage of modern Sierra Leone.




10  leones.  Mama Yoko: 18th century chieftain.  Reverse: Two bonga fish  (Ethmalosa fimbriata).
50  leones.  Sir Henry Lightfoot - Boston.            Reverse: Bank of Sierra Leone.
100 leones.  King Maimbaba.                              Reverse: Cocoa pods on tree.

Designer: Avril Vaughan.

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1996.

Syria released an architecture new circulation series depicting its ancient architecture.

This was Syria's first modern thematic set. Prior to that, its coins featured elaborate arabesque designs.

See also: Syria: Scenic Landmarks Series, 1996/2003.













2   pounds.  The Roman amphitheatre at Bosra.
5   pounds.  The Citadel of Aleppo.
10 pounds.  The ruins of Palmyra.
25 pounds.  The Central Bank of Syria.

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1997.

Eritrea gained its independence from Ethiopia in a process that lasted from 1991 to 1993. Its circulation coinage was issued in 1997, with wildlife designs created by the black American artist, Clarence Holbert. One peculiarity of the coins is that the highest denomination is named as 100 cents, yet officially 100 cents equals 1 nakfa.

See: Coins of modern Eritrea.




1c.      Thomson's gazelle.
5c.      Leopard.
10c.    Ostrich.
25c.    Zebra.
50c.    Addax antelope.
100c.  Elephant and calf.

Designer: Clarence Holbert.

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1997.

Hong Kong was returned to Chinese sovereignty by Britain in 1997. In that same year, a special set of coins was released by the Royal Mint to commemorate Hong Kong's return to China. The set was designed by Lady Elizabeth Haddon-Cave. The new obverse showed a bauhinia flower, replacing the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II.

See also: Hong Kong: Elizabeth II and the Return to China.




10c.  Chinese junk.
20c.  Butterfly kites.
50c.  Symbolic ox (year of the ox).
$1.    Chinese unicorn.                                 
$2.    He He brothers, symbol of harmony.
$5.    Good luck signs.
$10.  A bridge, symbol of transition.     

Common obverse: Bauhinia flower.

Designer: Lady Elizabeth Haddon-Cave.

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1997.

São Tomé and Príncipe issued a new design series with a FAO theme. FAO stands for the Food and Agricultural Organisation.

The set was unusual in that 3 out of the 5 coins were seven-sided.

See also:

1] Circulation sets consisting entirely of FAO-themed coins.

2] Modern coinage of São Tomé e Príncipe (Saint Thomas and Prince)




100  dobras.   Pigeon on sugar cane stalk, with the Pico de Príncipe mountain in the background.

250  dobras.   Peregrine falcon on a mango tree.

500   dobras.  Mona monkey on a sugar cane stalk, with the Pico de São Tomé mountain in the background.

1000 dobras.  Etlingera elatior, also known as torch ginger, red ginger lily, torch lily, Philippine wax flower, and porcelain rose.

2000 dobras.  Fruit of the land.

Designer: Robert Elderton.

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1998.

Brazil reformed its currency and issued a new design series. The set portrayed some of Brazil's national heroes.

See also: Brazil: National Heroes Set of 1998.




1   centavo.     Pedro Álvares Cabral.
5   centavos.   Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, known as Tiradentes.
10 centavos.   Pedro I.
25 centavos.   Deodoro da Fonseca.
50 centavos.   José Maria da Silva Paranhos Júnior, the Baron of Rio Branco.
1   Real.           Allegory of the Republic.

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1998.

Lesotho's coinage looked significantly different by 1998. It had brought out new 2 and 5 loti denominations in 1996, and in 1998 it replaced the 25 lisente coin with a 20 lisente coin. Also in 1998, it changed the design on the obverse of the 1 loti coin and the reverse of the 5 lisente coin.

See: Coinage of Lesotho.




5   lisente.   Aloe-agavi trees and hut.
20 lisente.   Spiral Aloe. [Aloe polyphylla]. The national flower of Lesotho.
1   loti.         King Moshoeshoe I.
2   maloti.    Ears of corn.
5   maloti.    Ears of wheat.

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1998.

Mozambique had issued an attractive new design series in 1994, and then in 1998 it added a 5000 meticais coin to the set.

See also: Mozambique since independence.




1       metical.    Female student.
5       meticais.  Brown-headed kingfisher.
10     meticais.  Cotton plant.
20     meticais.  Cashew plant.
50     meticais.  Head of cheetah.
100   meticais.  Lobster.
500   meticais.  Beira Railway Station.
1000 meticais.  Ministry of Finance and Planning.
5000 meticais.  Electric power lines and pylons.


Designer of 1 metical to 1000 meticais: Geoffrey Colley.

Designer of the 5000 meticais reverse: Robert Elderton.

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1998.

St. Helena and Ascension, two British overseas territories that use a joint coinage, issued a circulation 20 pence coin for the first time, sixteen years after the UK had done so. Also in 1998, they reduced the size of their 5 pence and 10 pence coins (as the UK had done earlier in the decade) and changed the designs.

The ebony flower is one of the emblems of St Helena. Jonathan the giant tortoise is an inhabitant of the islands, a kind of mascot, who is thought to be over 170 years old.


See also: Milestones in the decimal coinage of St. Helena-Ascension.




5p.    Jonathan the giant tortoise.   
10p.  Two dolphins.                 
20p.  Ebony flower.

Designer: Robert Elderton.