Guernsey: 1985 coinage - adopted and unadopted designs

[<k>]

20 pence.  Guernsey lily. 

Eventually this design was moved to the 50 pence.

[<k>]

20 pence.  A symbolic sun shines over the island of Guernsey. 

Not adopted.

[<k>]

20 pence.  Island, cog wheel, hands. 

Not adopted.

[<k>]

20 pence.  No hands this time.  Adopted.

[<k>]

50 pence.  A couple yachting. 

Not adopted.

[<k>]

50 pence.  Guernsey lily.  Adopted.

[<k>]

1 pound.  Not adopted.

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1 pound.  Scales.  Not adopted.

[<k>]

1 pound.  Detail from a Guernsey pound note.  Adopted.

[<k>]

Obverse design. 

Previously Guernsey had used it state arms (three lions) and not a portrait of the Queen.

Now it wished its coins to have more appeal to collectors of Commonwealth coins.

A portrait of the Queen was therefore used.

However, a small version of the arms was also included.

[<k>]

The effigy of the Queen was a product of the studio of Raphael Maklouf.

Robert Elderton altered the legend as required.


This is actually the uncouped effigy.

It was originally used only on special and commemorative coins.

It was not used on circulation coins for several years.

[<k>]

See also: Milestones in the decimal coinage of Guernsey.

[Figleaf]

Very interesting. I find myself in agreement with client most of the time. Mr. Elderton likes to add detail that works quite well on a large sketch, but amounts to clutter on a small coin. He even couldn't resist hinting at a pupil in the queen's eye. I am sorry the herrings didn't make it. I heartily dislike the cog wheel and map. The map is a tired cliché and an unrecognisable shape for those commonwealth coin collectors the client wants to reach and the cog wheel (a symbol of manufacturing) has no relation to Guernsey. I suppose Mr. Elderton got a mandate of themes he had to stick to, so I would blame the client.

Peter

[malj1]

... the cog wheel (a symbol of manufacturing) has no relation to Guernsey.
Peter

I too could see the clutter which they disliked.

The cogwheel in my view is a most unfortunate choice given that the Islands were occupied the Nazi's who used the cogwheel as an emblem of their Organisation TODT

[<k>]

I too could see the clutter which they disliked.

The cogwheel in my view is a most unfortunate choice given that the Islands were occupied the Nazi's who used the cogwheel as an emblem of their Organisation TODT

The cog wheel is such a common object and symbol, that few people would think of that - even the islanders, since most slave labourers were foreign. An old Guernsey woman told me she remembered reading in the newspapers, during the war, about a Georgian who'd escaped and strangled somebody. He was executed, though I didn't ask about the method.

Anyway, the cog wheel is certainly not a toxic as the swastika symbol, which the Nazis appropriated then poisoned.