Coinage of the New Hebrides

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THE NEW HEBRIDES




A map of the New Hebrides, now called Vanuatu.

The location of Vanuatu, formerly the New Hebrides, in the Western Pacific region.

From Wikipedia:

New Hebrides, officially the New Hebrides Condominium and named for the Hebrides Scottish archipelago, was the colonial name for the island group in the South Pacific Ocean that is now Vanuatu. Native people had inhabited the islands for three thousand years before the first Europeans arrived in 1606 from a Spanish expedition led by Portuguese navigator Pedro Fernandes de Queirós. The islands were colonised by both the British and French in the 18th century, shortly after Captain James Cook visited.

The two countries eventually signed an agreement making the islands an Anglo-French condominium that divided New Hebrides into two separate communities: one Anglophone and one Francophone. That divide continued even after independence, with schools teaching in either one language or the other, and with different political parties. The condominium lasted from 1906 until 1980, when New Hebrides gained its independence as the Republic of Vanuatu.

See:  Wikipedia: New Hebrides.

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The flag of the New Hebrides showed the flags of the UK and France.

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THE C.F.P. FRANC

From Wikipedia:

The franc was the currency of the Anglo-French Condominium of the Pacific island group of the New Hebrides (which became Vanuatu in 1980). It circulated alongside British and later Australian currency. The New Hebrides franc was nominally divided into 100 Centimes, although the smallest denomination was the 1 franc. Between 1945 and 1969, it was part of the CFP franc.

Until World War II, the New Hebrides used the French franc, the British pound and the Australian pound. In 1941 the Free French forces introduced paper money for circulation on the New Hebrides. In 1945 the CFP franc was introduced to insulate France's Pacific colonies from the devaluation of the French franc and the New Hebrides used a combination of New Caledonian franc coins and locally issued notes.

In 1949 the CFP franc's relationship to the French franc stabilized at 5.5 French francs = 1 CFP franc. From 1959, the exchange rate to the Australian pound was almost exactly 200 francs = 1 pound. This rate became 100 francs = 1 Australian dollar in 1966 when the dollar was introduced. The Australian dollar circulated alongside the local currency.

See:  Wikipedia: New Hebrides franc.

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What is the CFP franc?

From Wikipedia:

The CFP franc (called the franc in everyday use) is the currency used in the French overseas collectivities (French: collectivités d'outre-mer, or COM) of French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Wallis and Futuna. The initials CFP originally stood for colonies françaises du Pacifique ('French colonies of the Pacific'). This was later changed to Communauté financière du Pacifique ('Pacific Financial Community') and then to its present term, Change franc Pacifique ('Pacific Franc Exchange'). Its ISO 4217 currency code is XPF.

See:  Wikipedia: CFP franc.

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THE NEW HEBRIDES FRANC

From Wikipedia:

From 1966, coins were produced in the name of the New Hebrides. In 1969 the New Hebrides franc broke away from the CFP franc and maintained the relationship with the Australian dollar of 100 francs = 1 dollar until 1973.

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Obverse of the 100 francs coin.

The font used here is typical of Raymond Joly 's idiosyncratic style.


The denominations of the coinage were introduced in stages, from 1966 to 1972.

The common obverse of the coins was the head of Marianne, a female allegory of France.

This version of Marianne was designed by French artist and sculptor Raymond Joly.


In 1966 the only denomination issued was the highest, the 100 francs coin.

The 100 francs coin was only ever issued in 1966.

The coin was made of silver (.835).

It weighed 25 grams and had a diameter of 37.3 mm.

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Reverse of the 100 francs coin.

The reverse design featured a ceremonial staff with a carved face.

It was typical of the arts and crafts of the New Hebrides.


Did Joly use his special font to give a feel of the handicrafts in the New Hebrides?

The motif of triangles close to the rim appears only on this denomination, obverse and reverse.

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Obverse of the 10 francs coin.

In 1967 the 10 and 20 francs coins were issued.

They were made of nickel.

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Reverse of the 10 francs coin.

The 10 francs coin was made of nickel.

It weighed 6 grams and had a diameter of 24 mm.

According to Gerhard Schön in his catalogue of world coins, the reverse design featured:

A magic stone (vatu) with a carved face, flanked by boars' teeth.

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Reverse of the 20 francs coin.

The 20 francs coin was made of nickel.

It weighed 10 grams and had a diameter of 28.5 mm.

The reverse design was the same as that of the 10 francs coin.

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Obverse of the 1 franc coin of 1970.

The 1 franc, 2 francs and 5 francs coins were issued in 1970.

The coins were all made of nickel-brass.

They all carried the portrait of Marianne.

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Reverse of the 1 franc coin.

The 1 franc coin was made of nickel-brass.

It weighed 2 grams and had a diameter of 17 mm.

The reverse design featured a great frigate bird (Fregata minor).

It was shown in the form of a local hand-carved work of art.

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Reverse of the 2 francs coin.

The 2 francs coin was made of nickel-brass.

It weighed 3 grams and had a diameter of 20 mm.

The reverse design was the same as that of the 1 franc coin.

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Reverse of the 5 francs coin.

The 5 francs coin was made of nickel-brass.

It weighed 4.1 grams and had a diameter of 23.5 mm.

The reverse design was the same as that of the 1 franc and 2 francs coins.

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The new obverse, as seen on the nickel-brass coins.

From 1972 onward, the letters "I.E.O.M" were added to the obverse of the coins.

This stands for "Institut d'émission d'Outre-Mer".

From Wikipedia:

The Institut d'mission d'outre-mer (abbreviation: IEOM ) is a French public establishment. Its headquarters are in Paris, and it has three agencies located in Nouméa, Mata Utu and Papeete. It is in charge of monetary issuance in the French overseas communities of the Pacific, namely New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, and French Polynesia. These all use the Pacific franc (CFP franc) as their common currency.