The Philippines: second National Heroes Coinage, 1975 to 1982

[<k>]

DESIGN SERIES OF 1975 TO 1982

In 1975 the Philippines issued a new design series.

Like the previous series, it depicted national heroes.

It was the second series to do so.

[<k>]

Philippines, 1 sentimo, 1975.

The 1 sentimo coin was now square.

The coin was made of aluminium-magnesium.

It weighed 1.22 grams and had a diameter of 19 mm.


Here you see the new obverse of the sentimos coins.

It featured the logo of the Central Bank of the Philippines.

The logo showed a man rolling the wheel of progress.

The background is symbolic of the country's industry and agriculture.


ANG BAGONG LIPUNAN translates as THE NEW SOCIETY.

In 1972 President Marcos had  introduced martial law.

He claimed that he needed to create a "new society".

[<k>]

Philippines, 1 sentimo, 1975.

The reverse design of the 1 sentimo coin featured Lapu-Lapu, who was male.

From Wikipedia:

Lapu-Lapu was a ruler of Mactan in Visayas. Modern Filipino society regards him as the first Filipino hero because he was the first native to resist Spanish colonization. He is best known for the Battle of Mactan that happened at dawn on April 27, 1521, where he and his soldiers defeated Ferdinand Magellan. The battle ended up in the killing of Magellan and the end of his expedition, and it delayed the Spanish occupation of the islands by over forty years, until the expedition of Miguel López de Legazpi in 1564. Monuments to Lapu-Lapu have been built in Manila and Cebu, while the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Fire Protection use his image.

[<k>]

Philippines, 5 sentimos, 1975.

The 5 sentimos coin was scalloped and made of brass.

It weighed 2.5 grams and had a diameter of 19 mm.

This was the Philippines' only ever scalloped circulation coin.

Here you see the obverse of the coin.

[<k>]

Philippines, 5 sentimos, 1975.

The reverse of the coin featured Melchora Aquino de Ramos.

[<k>]

Melchora Aquino de Ramos.

From Wikipedia:

Melchora Aquino (1812–1919) was a Filipina revolutionary who became known as "Tandang Sora" ("Elder Sora") because of her age. She is also known as the "Grand Woman of the Revolution" and the "Mother of Balintawak" for her contributions to the struggle against the Spanish.

[<k>]

Philippines, 10 sentimos, 1975.

The 10 sentimos coin was made of copper-nickel.

It weighed 2 grams and had a diameter of 18 mm.

Above you see the obverse of the coin.

[<k>]

Philippines, 10 sentimos, 1975.

The reverse of the coin featured Francisco Baltasar.

From Wikipedia:

Francisco Baltazar (born Francisco Balagtas y de la Cruz; 1788–1862), also known as Francisco Balagtas, was a prominent Filipino poet. He is widely considered one of the greatest Filipino literary laureates for his impact on Filipino literature. The famous epic, Florante at Laura, is regarded as his defining work.

The name "Baltazar", sometimes misconstrued as a pen name, was a legal surname Balagtas adopted after the 1849 edict of Governor-General Narciso Claveria y Zaldua, which mandated that the native population adopt standard Spanish surnames instead of native ones.

[<k>]

Philippines, 25 sentimos, 1975.

The 25 sentimos coin was made of copper-nickel.

It weighed 4 grams and had a diameter of 21 mm.

It was round and carried the same obverse as the 10 sentimos coin,

The reverse of the 25 sentimos coin featured Juan Luna.


Curiously, this series did not include a 50 sentimos coin.

[<k>]

Juan Luna.

From Wikipedia:

Juan Luna y Novicio (October 23, 1857 – December 7, 1899), better known as Juan Luna was a Filipino painter, sculptor and a political activist of the Philippine Revolution during the late 19th century. He became one of the first recognized Philippine artists.

[<k>]

Philippines, 1 piso, 1975.

The 1 piso coin was made of copper-nickel.

It weighed 9.5 grams and had a diameter of 29 mm.

The obverse of the coin featured the coat of arms.

[<k>]

Philippines, 1 piso, 1975.

The reverse of the coin had a polygonal inner rim and featured José Rizal.

[<k>]

José Rizal.

From Wikipedia:

José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda, widely known as José Rizal (1861–1896), was a Filipino nationalist and polymath during the tail end of the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. An ophthalmologist by profession, Rizal became a writer and a key member of the Filipino Propaganda Movement which advocated political reforms for the colony under Spain.

He was executed by the Spanish colonial government for the crime of rebellion after the Philippine Revolution, inspired in part by his writings, broke out. Though he was not actively involved in its planning or conduct, he ultimately approved of its goals which eventually led to Philippine independence.

[<k>]

Philippines, 5 piso, 1975.

For the first time, a circulation 5 piso coin was issued.

Like the 1 piso coin, its obverse featured the coat of arms.

The reverse featured the president of those years, Ferdinand Marcos.

[<k>]

Ferdinand Marcos..

From Wikipedia:

Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr., (1917–1989), was a Filipino politician and lawyer who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was widely considered by academics, economists, and journalists as a kleptocrat. He ruled as a dictator under martial law from 1972 until 1981. He kept most of his martial law powers until he was deposed in 1986, branding his rule as "constitutional authoritarianism" under his New Society Movement. One of the most controversial leaders of the 20th century, his rule was infamous for its corruption, extravagance, and brutality.