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Wednesday 22 July 2015

202) Coinage of Gibraltar (a British Overseas Territory): An Uncirculated Decimal Coin Collection Set received from the Tower Mint, UK issued in 2010:



202) Coinage of Gibraltar (a British Overseas Territory): An Uncirculated Decimal Coin Collection Set received from the Tower Mint, UK issued in 2010:


The monetary unit in Gibraltar is the Pound Sterling.

Gibraltar derives its name from the Arabic “Jebel Tariq” (meaning “Mountain of Tariq”) which refers the “Rock of Gibraltar” named after the Umayyad General Tariq ibn-Ziyad who led Arabic forces into Iberia in 711 AD under the command of the Umayyad Caliph Al-Walid I.

An earlier name given to Gibraltar was “Mons Calpe” (Calpe means “hollow”) and it was recognised as one of the two “Pillars of Hercules”. While one of the two Pillars of Hercules is called the “Mons Calpe”, the other Pillar is called the “Mons Abyla” or “Jebel Musa” on the African side of the Strait.

In 1501, after a history of Arabic possession and later, passing through several other hands/rulers, Gibraltar came into Spanish possession.

In 1704, Gibraltar was captured from the Spanish, by an Anglo-Dutch fleet, representing the Grand Alliance, on behalf of Archduke Charles of Austria in his campaign to become King of Spain.

Later in 1713, by the Treaty of Utrecht, the Grand Alliance ceded control of Gibraltar to Britain. Since then, Gibraltar is regarded as a British Overseas Territory.

Spain tried to recapture Gibraltar at least twice in great force, because of its strategic importance, once during the Siege of 1727 and again through the Great Siege of Gibraltar (1779-1783), but was unsuccessful on both occasions.

By 1805, Gibraltar was a key naval base for the British Navy and the famous Battle of Trafalgar was fought against Spanish and French Allied ships where Admiral Horatio Nelson’s small fleet comprehensively defeated a numerically superior Allied Fleet.

In 1969, through a referendum, Gibraltar voted to remain British, leading to Spain completely closing its border with Gibraltar and severing all communication links.

In 1981, all Gibraltarians were granted full British citizenship.

In 2002, Gibraltarians, again, overwhelmingly rejected a proposal of shared sovereignty which was put before them by both Britain and Spain.

Later efforts to involve Spain in the Administration of Gibraltar have also not yielded any results.

Historical Development of the Gibraltar Coinage:

In 1704, at the time it was captured by the Grand Alliance, Gibraltar used British and Spanish coinage.

During 1825 – 1872 “the Real” or the Spanish “Real de Plata” was the Currency of Gibraltar along with British and Gibraltarian coins.

However, in 1842, copper coins of half, one and two quarts with the portrait of Queen Victoria on the Obverse and the key and triple Tower Emblem of Gibraltar on the Reverse also began circulating alongside.

From 1872, the Spanish Currency became the sole legal tender in Gibraltar.

In 1898, the Spanish-American War led to devaluation of the Spanish Peseta and the British Pound was introduced as the only currency in Gibraltar both in coins and Banknotes, although the Spanish Peseta continued to be accepted as payment.

From 1968 to 1970, Cupro-nickel crowns with the triple tower & key emblem were issued, primarily for use in casinos.

In 1971, Gibraltar adopted the decimal coinage system.

Since 1988, Gibraltar has issued its own Banknotes and its own coins.

Gibraltar coinage since 1988:

Three Series of coins have been issued by Gibraltar since 1988:

The 1988 Series: coins in the denomination of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 pence and 1 Pound were circulated, with a 2 pound coin being circulated in 1999.

The depictions on the coins in this Series are 1 Penny (Barbary Partridge), 2 Pence (Europa Point Lighthouse), 5 Pence (Barbary Macaque and Gibraltar Candytuft), 10 Pence (Europort), 20 Pence (Our Lady of Europe), 50 pence (Bottlenose Dolphins), 1 Pound (Fortress & key) and 2 Pounds (Pillars of Hercules).

The 2004 Tercentenary Edition:

This Series was issued in 2004 to commemorate the Tercentenary of British Gibraltar.

The depictions on the coins in this Series are one penny (Barbary Macaque), 2 Pence (Keys of Gibraltar), 5 pence (Constitutional Order 1969), 10 pence (Operation Torch, World War II – 1942), 20 pence (Discovery of Neanderthal skull in Gibraltar – 1848), 50 pence (Battle of Trafalgar-1805), 1 Pound (Great Siege of Gibraltar 1779-1783). 2 Pound (Capture of Gibraltar – 1704).

The third and current Series:

The depiction on the coins in this Series are one penny (Constitution Order 1969), 2 pence (Operation Torch-1942), 5 Pence (Barbary Ape), 10 pence (The Great Siege 1779-1783), 20 Pence (Keys of Gibraltar), 50 Pence (Our Lady of Europe), 1 Pound (Discovery of Neanderthal skull in Gibraltar – 1848), 5 Pound Coin (Rock of Gibraltar). 

 The Gibraltar Currency Coin Collection, issued by the Government of Gibraltar in 2010:
The front cover of the Coin Album showing the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the Obverse of the Five Pound coin, the Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom enveloping the Emblem  of Gibraltar, which is an Overseas Territory of the UK. On the cover is the legend “Official Legal Tender” on top and Government of Gibraltar” on the bottom.
The back cover of the Coin Album showing the Rock of Gibraltar. Also mentioned on the cover is “The Tower Mint”, London, who are “Minters for the Government of Gibraltar”.
An inner page of the Coin Album showing the Reverses of all the eight denominations of coins - 2 Pounds, 1 Pound, 50 Pence, 20 Pence, 10 Pence, 5 Pence, 2 Pence and 1 pence surrounding the emblem of the UK enveloping the emblem of Gibraltar. The detailed descriptions of all the coins from 5 Pounds to 1 Penny are given below:


On the Reverse of the Five Pound Coin is depicted the Rock of Gibraltar. On the upper periphery if the inscription “GIBRALTAR”, while on the lower periphery is mentioned the denomination of the coin “FIVE POUNDS”.

The specifications of this coin are:

Metal Composition: Alloy:  Alpaca; Edge: Beaded; Diameter: 32.00 mm; Weight: 11.70 gms.

The Rock of Gibraltar: is also called “Jebel Tariq” (“Mountain of Tariq”) or “Penon de Gibraltar”, in Spanish. It is a monolithic limestone promontory located in Gibraltar, off the South-western tip of Europe on the Iberian Peninsula, bordering Spain. It is 426 metres or 1398 ft. high. Most of the Rock’s upper area is covered by a Nature Reserve, which is home to over 300 Barbary Apes or Macaques. It also has a labyrinthine network of tunnels.

An earlier name given to Gibraltar was “Mons Calpe” (Calpe means “hollow”) and it was recognised as one of the two “Pillars of Hercules”. While one of the two Pillars of Hercules is called the “Mons Calpe”, the other Pillar is called the “Mons Abyla” or “Jebel Musa” on the African side of the Strait.

In the Ancient World, the two points marked the limit of the known World, a myth originally publicised by the Phoenicians.
On the Reverse of the Two Pound Coin is depicted the Battle of Trafalgar-1805. On the upper periphery if the inscription “BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR 1805”, while on the lower periphery is mentioned the denomination of the coin “TWO POUNDS”. The image on this coin shows a dismasted “HMS Victory”, Nelson’s Flagship being towed to Gibraltar after the battle, bearing Nelson’s mortal remains, as it nears the “Rock of Gibraltar”.


The specifications of this coin are:

Metal Composition: Outer Ring: Nickel-Brass; Inner portion: Cupro-Nickel; Upper Edge Inscription: “BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR”, Edge: Beaded; Diameter: 28.40 mm; Weight: 12.00 gms.

The Battle of Trafalgar: Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson had called at the port of Gibraltar several times prior to the famous “Battle of Trafalgar” (on the Southern tip of Spain) which took place on 21.10.1805, which was fought close to Gibraltar, where a famous victory was won by the British, but Nelson lost his life (The battle was fought between 33 Allied ships of France and Spain against 33 British ships (27 ships of the line, 6 Frigates and smaller craft) as against 26 French and 15 Spanish ships (33 ships of the line, 8 Frigates and smaller craft).

The British Fleet Commanders were – Admiral Horatio Nelson (he was shot by a French musketeer during the battle & died towards the end of the battle) and Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, while the French Fleet was commanded by Admiral Pierre-Charles Villeneuve (taken Prisoner of War after the battle) and the Spanish fleet was under the Command of Admiral Federico Gravina y Napoli (he sustained grievous injuries in the battle and passed away months later).

At the end of the Battle, over 18 Allied ships (10 French ships captured and one destroyed & 11 Spanish ships were captured) were lost or captured, as against none of the British ships). 

The number of British casualties were – 458 dead and 1208 wounded (total 1666) while the French losses were 2218 dead, 1155 wounded and about 4000 captured and the Spanish losses were 1025 dead, 1383 wounded and about 4000 captured.

In the aftermath of the battle, about 3000 prisoners were drowned in a storm.

Despite the British victory over the Franco-Spanish Navies, the Battle of Trafalgar had negligible impact on the remainder of the “War of the Third Coalition”. Less than two months later, Napoleon decisively defeated the Third Coalition at the Battle of Austerlitz knocking Austria out of the war and forcing dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire.

Although Trafalgar meant that France could no longer fight Britain at sea, Napoleon proceeded to establish the “Continental System” so as to deny Britain any trade with the Continent. The Napoleonic Wars continued for another ten years after Trafalgar.



                “Victory” at full sail during the Battle of Trafalgar


An image of the dismasted French ship Redoubtable during her valiant resistance at the Battle of Trafalgar, surrounded from three sides by British ships, including the HMS Victory. At one point during the fight soldiers and sailors in the French rigging on the Redoubtable, fired at men exposed on Victory’s decks. A musket shot from Redoubtable hit Nelson, knocking him to the deck and breaking his back. This shot mortally wounded Nelson, but not before he was told that the battle was won and 15 of the enemy ships had been captured.

 


This diorama at England’s National Maritime Museum shows the free-for-all that raged for three hours during the Battle of Trafalgar, near Gibraltar. Nelson’s Flagship, “Victory” is at the left centre, enveloped in smoke. This image is from a book in my personal library titled “SHIPS” published by TIME Life Science Library in 1970 & gifted to me by my late father Dr.J.N.Prasad on 15.11.1971.



“Victory” is seen here as it is preserved in dry dock at Portsmouth, England.
A jungle of rigging, a five ton anchor & open gun-ports reveal some of the stout armament of “Victory” Nelson’s flagship at Trafalgar. It was the most famous of the wooden ships of the line and carried 104 cannon on five decks – 12 guns on the quarter deck, 4 guns on the Forecastle, 30 guns on the Upper Deck, 28 guns on the Middle Deck and 30 guns on the Lower Deck,  including some that fired ponderous 32 pound balls. The 32 pounders were capable of firing one round every two minutes at a point blank range of 364 metres.

On the Reverse of the One Pound Coin is depicted the Gibraltar skull. On the upper periphery is given the denomination of the coin “ONE POUND” while below the image of the skull is inscribed “DISCOVERY OF NEANDERTHAL SKULL IN GIBRALTAR 1848”.

 The specifications of this coin are:
Metal Composition: Nickel-Brass; Edge: Beaded; Diameter: 22.50 mm; Weight: 9.50 gms.



An image of the Neanderthal skull found in Forbes Quarry in 1848.

Neanderthals of Gibraltar: These were among the first to be discovered by modern scientists and may have been the last of their species.

The skull of a Neanderthal woman, (named Gibraltar 1) discovered in Forbes Quarry in 1848 was only the second Neanderthal skull ever found. Later, in 1926, a second Neanderthal skull, that of a four year old child, (known as Gibraltar 2) was found at a rock shelter called the “Devil’s Tower”, situated very close to the Forbes Quarry.

 The Gibraltar find was that of the first adult Neanderthal skull to be discovered, almost eight years before the discovery of the skull (for which the species was named) in Neandertal, Germany. It was only in 1862 that the Gibraltar discovery of the skull was recognised as a Neanderthal skull, but by then, Gibraltar had lost the distinction of naming the species as the “Gibraltar Man”.

The Neanderthals occupied ten sites on the Gibraltar Peninsula at the southern tip of Iberia, which is believed to have one of the most densely populated Neanderthal settlements anywhere in Europe.

The caves and labyrinths in the Rock of Gibraltar which the Neanderthals had inhabited have been excavated at length which has given tremendous insight on their life-styles and the pre-historic landscape of the area. The Peninsula stood on the edge of a fertile coastal plain, which is now submerged, which supported a wide variety of flora and fauna which the Neanderthals used as food.

Unlike Northern Europe which underwent massive swings in its climate and was largely uninhabitable for long periods, the far south Iberia enjoyed a stable and mild climate for over 125000 years and became the refuge from the ice ages for animals, plants and Neanderthals, who survived there for several thousands of years longer than elsewhere.

About 25000 years ago, however, the climate changed drastically, disrupting the food & shelter resources of the Neanderthals and possibly leading to their final extinction.
On the Reverse of the Fifty Pence Coin are depicted ships of the Anglo-Dutch Naval Fleet which are effecting the Capture of Gibraltar. On the upper periphery is given the denomination of the coin “FIFTY PENCE” while below the image of the ships is inscribed “CAPTURE OF GIBRALTAR 1704”.

 The specifications of this coin are:

Metal Composition: Cupro-Nickel; Edge: Plain; Diameter: 27.30 mm; Weight: 8.00 gms; Shape: Seven-sided (heptagonal).

The Capture of Gibraltar: In 1704, Gibraltar was captured from the Spanish, by an Anglo-Dutch fleet, representing the Grand Alliance, on behalf of Archduke Charles of Austria in his campaign to become King of Spain.
On the Reverse of the Twenty Pence Coin is depicted the Four Keys to the Four Gates of Gibraltar. On the upper periphery is given the denomination of the coin “TWENTY PENCE” while below the image of the Keys is mentioned the denomination of the coin in numerals “20”.

The specifications of this coin are:

Metal Composition: Cupro-Nickel; Edge: Plain; Diameter: 21.40 mm; Weight: 5.00 gms; Shape: Seven-sided (heptagonal).

The significance of the Four Keys symbol:

During the Great Siege (1779-1783), under great hardship, the garrison withstood the assault and by February 1783, the siege was lifted. The defence of Gibraltar was under the command of the Governor, General Sir George Eliott, who defended Gibraltar successfully, against the combined Allied Force of France and Spain and kept it under British control.

 During the period of the Great Siege, fearing that there were Spanish & French collaborators/sympathisers within the four gates of Gibraltar, General Eliott would carry the keys with him everywhere so that they would not fall into the hands of the Collaborators/sympathisers who could contrive to throw open the gates of the Fort to the besieging army.  It was rumoured that he even slept with them under his pillow at night so as to prevent/rule out any such eventuality.

The Ceremony of the Keys:  This is a re-enactment of the locking of the four gates into Gibraltar. During the Great Siege, the Governor, General Sir George Eliott would carry the keys with him everywhere. It was rumoured that he even slept with them under his pillow at night.


  The image on this miniature stamp sheet shows Vice Admiral Sir Adrian Johns, the Governor of Gibraltar (2009-2013) handing over the four keys during the Ceremony of the Keys.
  On the Reverse of the Ten Pence Coin is depicted the Koehler Depression Carriage/Gun. On the upper periphery is given the denomination of the coin “TEN PENCE” while below the image of the Depression Carriage/Gun is mentioned the inscription “THE GREAT SIEGE 1779-1783” the denomination of the coin in numerals “10”.
The specifications of this coin are:

Metal Composition: Cupro-Nickel; Edge: Beaded; Diameter: 24.50 mm; Weight: 6.50 gms; Shape: Round.

The Great Siege (1779-1783): In July 1779, Gibraltar was besieged by an Allied force of French and Spanish troops. By August 1779, it was clear that they intended to starve out the garrison. The defenders held out despite all odds. On 13.09.1782, the Allies initiated a grand attack involving about 100000 men, 48 ships and 450 cannon. Under great hardship, the garrison withstood the assault and by February 1783, the siege was lifted. The Great Siege was the 14th and last attempt to take Gibraltar by force, by means of a siege.

The Defence of Gibraltar was under the command of the Governor, General Sir George Eliott who defended the Fort against the combined Allied Force of France and Spain and kept Gibraltar under British Rule.

The Koehler Depression Carriage/Gun: The Koehler Depression Carriage was invented in February 1782 by Lieutenant Koehler during the Great Siege (1779-1783). The height of the Rock coupled with the proximity of the Spanish lines to Gibraltar meant that a steep angle was required to fire down on the enemy lines. The method for stopping cannon balls from rolling out of cannon barrels was to use tight wadding, however, the conventional carriages could not withstand the power of the recoil from such a steep angle of discharge. Koehler’s carriage overcame this problem and became crucial in the Defence of Gibraltar throughout the Great Siege.                  

On the Reverse of the Five Pence Coin is depicted the Barbary Ape/Macaque. On the upper periphery is given the denomination of the coin in numerals “5” while below the image of the Barbary Ape is mentioned the denomination of the coin in words “FIVE PENCE”.
 The specifications of this coin are:

Metal Composition: Cupro-Nickel; Edge: Beaded; Diameter: 18.00 mm; Weight: 3.25 gms; Shape: Round.



An image of the Barbary Ape with the Rock of Gibraltar in the background, from a representation in a reference book titled “The Look-it-up Book of Mammals” which was presented to me at the La Martiniere College, Lucknow, Annual function held in 1973 for standing first in the Biology Group in Class X .

The Barbary Ape/Macaque:

The Barbary Macaque in Gibraltar is the only wild monkey population in the European continent. Presently, there are some 300 individuals found in the Upper Rock area of the Gibraltar Nature Reserve. The macaques are currently managed by the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society (GONHS). The monkeys receive a daily supply of food and water and are subjected to regular health checks, so that they are in no danger of extinction on the Rock & sustain their once dwindling population.

The monkeys which live in Gibraltar were taken after the British occupation of the Rock. Their real home is in North Africa. Because the Barbary macaque has no tail, it is called an Ape. But, in fact, it is a tailless monkey. The locals refer to them as “monos” (meaning “monkeys”) when conversing in Spanish or the local vernacular “Llanito”.
On the Reverse of the Two Pence Coin are depicted General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Admiral Andrew Cunningham and Vice-Admiral Bertram Ramsay discussing Battle strategy. In the background is depicted the Rock of Gibraltar.
On the upper periphery is given the denomination of the coin in words “TWO PENCE” while below the image of the three officers is mentioned the inscription “OPERATION TORCH 1942” and the denomination of the coin in numerals “2”.

The specifications of this coin are:

Metal Composition: Copper-plated Steel; Edge: Beaded; Diameter: 25.09 mm; Weight: 7.12 gms; Shape: Round.

Operation Torch:

Operation Torch (initially named “Operation Gymnast”) was a British-American invasion of French North Africa during the North Africa campaign of the Second World War, which commenced on 08.11.1942.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower was given command of the operation and he set up his headquarters in Gibraltar. The Allied Naval Commander of the Expeditionary Force was Admiral Andrew Cunningham & his deputy Vice-Admiral Bertram Ramsay was given charge of planning the amphibious landings.
On the Reverse of the One Penny Coin is depicted the Barbary Partridge. On the upper periphery is given the denomination of the coin in numerals “1” while below the image of the Partridge is mentioned the inscription the denomination of the coin in words “ONE PENNY”.

The specifications of this coin are:

Metal Composition: Copper-plated Steel; Edge: Beaded; Diameter: 20.32 mm; Weight: 3.56 gms; Shape: Round.



                             The Barbary Partridge

The Barbary Partridge (Alectoris Barbara) is a game bird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the Order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds.

This partridge comes from North Africa and is also native to Gibraltar and the Canary Islands. The Barbary Partridge is closely related to its western European equivalent, the red-legged partridge.

The Barbary Partridge is the National Bird of Gibraltar.
An inner page of the Coin Album showing the Obverses of Eight denominations of coins – 2 Pounds, 1 Pound, 50 Pence, 20 Pence, 10 Pence, 5 Pence, 2 Pence and 1 pence surrounding the emblem of the UK enveloping the Emblem of Gibraltar. The Obverses show a crowned portrait of Queen Elizabeth II facing right. On each of the coins is mentioned the inscription “ELIZABETH II GIBRALTAR” & the year of issue 2010.

More about Gibraltar:

Gibraltar dominates the entrance to the Mediterranean between the southern tip of Spain and the continent of Africa. Both famous and enigmatic, Gibraltar contains some of the most extensive military fortifications in Europe, spanning over 1200 years of Moorish, Spanish and British history.

It has some of the finest caves in Europe as well as the famous semi-wild Barbary Apes. Some of the other famous sights which are quite popular are:

Upper Rock Nature Reserve: It is a popular study area for botanists and bird watchers and has several caves, tunnels, large military guns and the famous semi-wild Apes apart from several places of historical and geological interest.

Town Area: The old Town Area is enclosed by impressive fortress walls, the oldest being those of the Moorish Castle Complex. Narrow passages and steps which climb steeply between buildings are seen in the upper part of the town as well as heritage buildings and old churches.

The Town Area also includes the Gibraltar Museum which includes several artefacts of military and geological interest including the remains of the Neanderthal man.

South Area: Several key historical sites are found in this Area including a 100 Ton Gun, Parson’s Lodge and the Bay where Admiral Lord Nelson’s body was brought ashore when his damaged Flagship, HMS Victory was towed there after the Battle of Trafalgar. Also, at the Southern tip of Gibraltar is the Europa Point Lighthouse and King Fahd ben Abdul-Aziz Al Saud mosque.
           The mosque of King Fahd ben Abdul-Aziz Al Saud

East Side: On this side are many breath-taking views of sheer cliffs and the fishing village of Catalan Bay nestling beneath. The coast-line on this side is rugged and spectacular towards the South. Access to the Eastern side of the Rock is via the Devil’s Tower Road.

 An Observation Tower known as the Devil’s Tower (which was demolished in 1940) near the entrance to Eastern Beach gives the Road its name.

Bay of Gibraltar: This Bay is popular for dolphin watching and has the highest concentration of dolphins in the Mediterranean. The sea around Gibraltar has a huge number of ship-wrecks which are popular with experienced divers.

Gibraltar Coat of Arms:


The motto below the Coat of Arms is “Montis Insignia Calpe” meaning “Badge of the Rock of Gibraltar). The Coat of Arms was adopted in 1501, when Gibraltar had passed into Spanish possession and Isabella I of Castile had issued a Royal Warrant granting Gibraltar the Coat of Arms that it still uses today.

Flag of Gibraltar:


 The Flag Shows the Castle of Gibraltar and the Key to the City.


Gibraltar’s National Day: is 10th September, Gibraltar having voted on 10th September 1969 to remain British. 




(The 2010 Uncirculated Gibraltar Decimal Coin Set has come to my Coin Collection through the resources of Jayant Biswas. Coin & pictures scanned and article researched & written by Rajeev Prasad).





Links:

British Crown Dependencies:

1) Specimen Banknotes from the States of Jersey

2) Coinage and Currency from the States of Jersey

3) Currency & Coinage of the Bailiwick of Guernsey

4) Currency & Coinage of Gibraltar : An Overseas Territory of Great Britain

5) Coinage of Gibraltar: (A British Overseas Territory): An Uncirculated Decimal Coin Collection Set minted by the Tower Mint, UK in 2010
  
6) The Isle of Man: An Uncirculated Decimal Coin Collection Set minted by Pobjoy Mint, UK in 2015

7) The Centenary of the ill-fated Titanic (15.04.1912 - 15.04.2012): An Alderney Five Pound Coin Commemorating the Maritime Legend

8) "Man of Steel": A Superman Movie: A set of stamps brought out in 2013 by Jersey post, the States of Jersey, commemorating Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill who played Superman in the Movie

9) Coins & Currency of Bermuda

10) The Bailiwick of Jersey - Presently circulating coinage - Pounds and Pence 

11) St. Helena & Ascension Islands: An Uncirculated Coin Set from 2003 

12) The Legend of the "HMAV Bounty" is interwoven with the heritage of the Pitcairn Islands: An uncirculated coin set from Pitcairn Islands in 2009 depicting the icons/relics of the Bounty minted by the New Zealand Mint 

Famous Battles

1) Bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo and Napoleon's Exile to St. Helena: (Part I): A One Crown Commemorative coin issued by the Ascension Island (minted by Pobjoy Mint UK) 

2) Bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo and Napoleon's Exile to st. Helena: (Part II) 1) A 5 GBP Coin issued by the Royal Mint UK. 2) A"Drie Landen Zilverset" ( ot the "Three Lands Silver set") containing coins issued by the Royal Dutch Mint including coins of Netherlands, Belgium and UK

3) Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain by issuing a 50 Pence coin by the Royal Mint UK

Gold Coins:
  
1) Gold Sovereigns issued in 2013 & 2014 by MMTC-PAMP in India under licence from the Royal Mint, UK, carrying the "I" Mint Mark

2) Gold Half-Sovereigns minted by MMTC-PAMP in India in 2014 under licence from the Royal Mint UK bearing the "I" Mint Mark 

Silver Coins:

1) A 20 Pound Silver coin minted for the first timr by the royal Mint UK: reverse design carries the famous St. George slaying the dragon design found on Gold Sovereigns 

British India Coinage:

 1) East India Company Quarter Anna Copper Coin which is one of the first issues under the Coinage Act 1835

2) Victoria Coinage: When she was Queen and afterwards Empress

3) Edward VII: King & Emperor  Coinage

4) George V King Emperor Coinage

5) George VI: The last of the British India Emperors Coinage 

Other British Royalty: 

1) Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Celebrations (1952-2012): A Five Pound Commemorative coin issued by the Royal Mint, UK

2) Commemorating Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation in 1953: A Five Pound Coin minted by the Royal Mint UK in 2013, depicting the Imperial State Crown

3) The Royal Coat of Arms of the UK: Great British 2012 Coin Set (Uncirculated) issued by the Royal Mint UK

4) Prince George's Christening Ceremony celebrated with coins issued by the Royal Mint UK in 2013

5) The British Empire:  A Case of Numismatic "segregation": (Guest Post by Rahul Kumar)

6) 1) The Portrait Collection: Various Portraits of Queen Elizabeth II on Coinage 2) The Fourth & Final Circulating coinage of the Portrait designed by Ian Rank-Broadley and the First Edition of the portrait of the Queen made by Jody Clark

 British Coinage:

1) The contribution of the Great British One-Pound coins in keeping alive the historical legends/emblems/heritage of the UK (1983 onwards)

2) Transformation of a Five shilling Coin (Crown) into the UK Twenty-five Pence & then the Five Pound Coin

3) Transformation of the Two Shilling Coin (Florin) Coin into the UK Ten Pence

4) The 350th Anniversary of the Guinea: A Two Pound Coin issued by the Royal Mint UK celebrating the milestone

 Commemorative British Coinage:

 1) Commemorating the Bicentenary of Charles Dickens: A Two pound coin celebrating his literary contributions during the Victorian Era

 2) Commemorating 50 Years of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) - presently called the World Wide Fund for Nature by issue of a Fifty Pence coin by the Royal Mint, UK

3) Coins commemorating London Olympics & Paralympics (2012)

4) Commemorating 150 Years of the London Underground : Two pound Coins minted by the Royal Mint UK, showing the "Roundel" logo and a train emerging from a tunnel 

5) Commemorating the 100th Birth anniversary of Christopher Ironside with his" Royal Arms" design on a 50 Pence coin issued by the Royal Mint, UK 

6) 800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta - the Universal Guidepost to Liberty and Freedom

Inspirations from Scottish History: 

1) The Legend of King Bruce & the Spider on Banknotes

Banknotes from Scotland:
  
1) Commemorating Sir William Arrol and his creation the Forth Rail Bridge by issues of Britain's first ever 5 Pound Polymer Banknote

6 comments:

  1. Vineeta Goel has commented:
    "Very informative.my sister lives in Gibraltar"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Vineeta. Your sister lives in a place which has played a very important part in shaping the history of Europe - from the Arabic invasions, to Spanish rule, to the British-Dutch capture , the Naval Battle of Trafalgar during the Napoleonic Wars and it was the Allied Headquarters during the World War II in the campaign for North Africa. Best of all their currency & coinage depicts the most important portions of their recent history & flora & fauna and helped me in my hobby of "Discovery of the World" thru a country's coinage & currency.

      Delete
  2. Ramchandra Lalingkar has commented:
    "Very interesting information indeed. I was amused to read more about 'Barbary Ape/Macaque' in 'Wikipedia' and especially it's "Vestigial Tail" which is also being seen on the body of a few human beings !"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Lalingkar sahab. The Barbary Macaque does have a Vestigial tail. Its original home is in Africa, from where the British brought him over to Gibraltar. The Gibraltar Macaque was facing near extinction, till present day efforts have somewhat salvaged its numbers. Also, this is the first time that I have a coin depicting a skull on it (the first "Neanderthal skull") found in Gibraltar, much before it was discovered in Neandertal, Germany.

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  3. Wonderful information.. Actually this is virtually a travel guide for one visiting Gibraltar

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Rahul for your extremely encouraging comment.Much appreciate.

      Delete