246)
Saint Helena & Ascension Island: A
British Overseas Territory (BOT) : Pounds and Pence: An uncirculated Set of Coins
issued in 2003 by the Royal Mint U.K. for circulation in St. Helena and Ascension
Islands:
Brief
history of St. Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha:
In 1502, the
Islands of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha were discovered by the
Portuguese. St. Helena Day i.e. 21st May is celebrated as a public
holiday. It was on this day in 1502 that
the Island was discovered and so named as it was the birthday of St. Helena,
the mother of Constantine the Great of Constantinople.
The Portuguese found St.
Helena uninhabited with an abundance of trees and fresh-water. They began
importing livestock, fruit trees and vegetables and built a chapel and a few
houses, without setting up any permanent settlement.
During his voyage of
circumnavigation around the World, Francis Drake landed on St. Helena, as he
was aware of the Portuguese discovery of these Islands.
More explorers came
thereafter, leading to a fight for supremacy among the English and the
Portuguese. English warships began to attack Portuguese shipping on its voyage home
from India laden with muslin, spices and gold and silver.
By 1633, the Dutch also
began frequenting the Island and laid a formal claim to it. However, they did
not settle the Island and by 1651 had mostly abandoned in favour of
their Colony at the Cape of Good Hope.
In 1657, the
English East India Company was granted a Charter to govern St. Helena by Oliver
Cromwell.
In 1658, the
Company fortified and colonised St. Helena with plantations.
From 1659 onwards,
Saint Helena became a staging post for the East India Company and was colonised
primarily by refugees from London after the Great Fire of London (in 1666).
Between 1791 and 1833,
St. Helena became a site for a series of experiments in conservation,
reforestation and attempts to boost rain artificially.
In October 1815,
St. Helena became the selected place of detention of Napoleon Bonaparte. He
stayed at the Briars Pavilion on the grounds of the Balcombe family’s home
until his permanent residence, Longwood House, was completed in December
1815, where he passed away on 05.05.1821. Interestingly, Ascension
Island and Tristan da Cunha were garrisoned in 1815 and 1816
respectively after the Napoleonic Wars, as a security precaution, following the
exile of Napoleon to St. Helena after the Battle of Waterloo.
In 1833, the
control of St. Helena passed from the East India Company to the British Crown
and it became a Crown Colony.
In 1858, the French
Emperor Napoleon III successfully gained possession of Longwood House in the
name of the French government and the lands around it. It is still the property
of the French and is administered by a French Representative under the
authority of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
An image of Longwood House
where Napoleon was imprisoned on St. Helena
St.
Helena is presently the second oldest remaining British Colony after Bermuda.
The
Currency/Coinage of the Islands:
The Saint Helena Pound, subdivided into 100 Pence is the
currency of the South Atlantic Islands of Saint Helena and Ascension, which are
constituents of the British Overseas Territory (BOT) of Saint Helena, Ascension
and the Archipelago of Tristan da Cunha.
Tristan
da Cunha, the third part of the Territory, however, treats the British Pound Sterling
as its official currency, instead of the St. Helena Pound. This is because
Tristan da Cunha was not included in the St. Helena and Ascension Coin Series
by name as the Tristan da Cunha chain was originally not politically
incorporated into the St. Helena and Ascension Colony at the time of the
currency’s official release.
Nevertheless,
Tristan da Cunha gets some Commemorative coins minted by the Royal Mint, U.K.
on certain important occasions. At the same time, the coins and banknotes which
circulate in St. Helena and Ascension are accepted for use in Tristan da Cunha
too.
Reclassifications:
On 12.09.1922, the
political union between the colonies of St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da
Cunha began, when by letters patent Ascension Island became a Dependency of St. Helena and
Tristan da Cunha followed suit on 12.01.1938.
In 1981, the British Nationality Act 1981
reclassified St. Helena and the other Crown Colonies as British Dependent Territories. The “Saints” lost the right to live in Britain.
In 1989, the St. Helena Constitution took
effect and gave the Island a Governor
and Commander-in-Chief, as well as an elected Executive and Legislative
Council.
In 2002, the British Overseas Territory Act 2002,
granted full British citizenship to the Islanders and the Dependent Territories
were now renamed as British Overseas Territories (BOT).
Until 01.09.2009, St.
Helena, Ascension Island and the Archipelago of Tristan da Cunha were known as Saint Helena and Dependencies,
when a new Constitution came into force giving the three Islands equal status
within the territory and the name “St. Helena and Dependencies” was changed to
“St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da
Cunha”.
Historical
evolution of the Saint Helena Currency & Coinage:
From 1659 onwards,
the British Pound Sterling began to circulate on Saint Helena, with the Pound
sub-divided into 20 shillings, and each shilling further sub-divided into 12
Pence.
Later, the Pound coinage
was supplemented by intermittent issues of paper currency/Banknotes. The
Banknotes were denominated in Pounds and shillings and were valued at par with
the British Pound.
In 1821, apart from
a copper half-penny bearing the Colonial Coat of Arms, Saint Helena used coins
of the East India Company and countermarked foreign coins until 1834.
These coins intermingled with British coins in circulation.
During this period, the
Island of St. Helena was also used as a penal ground for high ranking political
prisoners, including Napoleon Banaparte. Circulating
coinage was not issued for St. Helena for another 163 years until 1984.
In 1834, British
coins and currency were adopted exclusively by Saint Helena for general
circulation.
Prior to February 1961,
the South African Pound, which was at par with the Pound Sterling, was also
accepted as legal tender on the Island, but
this practice ceased once the new decimal South African Rand was introduced
which rendered the Rand equivalent to ten shillings only.
In 1976, the Saint
Helena government began issuing new decimal denominated Banknotes for
circulation on the Island.
In 1984, coins in
the same weights and specifications as the British coinage were introduced with
the names of both St. Helena and Ascension
inscribed on the Obverse
of these coins. The Reverses
of these coins featured South
Atlantic Flora and Fauna which were unique to these Islands. These
coins were in the denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 50 Pence and 1 Pound. This
coin Series was designed by engraver and coin designer – Michael Hibbit.
All
the coins were the same size and composition as the corresponding British coins
and valued with the British Pound at par.
The
circulation of these coins was extended later on to Tristan da Cunha too.
Some
Commemorative coins issued by St. Helena:
In 1973, St. Helena
issued a crown sized 25 Pence in cupro-nickel or proof silver to commemorate
the tercentenary of its return to British control after a period of control by
the Dutch.
In 1977, a similar
coin commemorated Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee and in 1978, the
25th Anniversary of her Coronation was celebrated with another
commemorative coin.
Crowns valued at traditional
25 Pence and other denominations have been continuously issued both for St.
Helena alone, as well as, with Ascension Island.
In 1984, a
Commemorative Crown-sized 50 Pence Coin was issued commemorating the 150th
Anniversary of St. Helena as a Crown Colony.
Tracing
the history of St.Helena through its bird life is rather educative:
One can easily trace the
entire history of St. Helena through its birds except for the Island’s endemic “Wirebird”
(St. Helena plover) because the birds of St. Helena were brought to St. Helena
at various points of time.
16th
Century introductions: the Chukar Partridge, Ring-necked Pheasant and the Pigeon were first introduced to
the island in the 16th Century by the Portuguese as a source of
food. The island discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, soon became a port of
call for ships travelling from Asia to Europe.
18th
Century introductions: the Dove, Madagascar Fody, Java Sparrow, Common Waxbill and Yellow Canary were introduced in
the 18th Century around the time when St. Helena became a staging
post for the East India Company.
19th
Century introduction: the Indian Mynah was brought to St. Helena around 1885 by the
British Crown ships and merchantmen to remove ticks from cattle on the Island.
These birds soon propagated in large numbers and became a pest – nest robbing
and driving away other birds.
St
Helena today:
St Helena has a population
of around 4500 residents. The population has mainly descended from travellers
from Europe, mostly planters, government employees and ex-soldiers serving in
the local St. Helena Regiment. After 1810, a few Chinese itinerant workers also
settled here, as did a few families of slaves who were brought mostly from
Madagascar, Asia and Africa from 1840 onwards.
The people of St. Helena
or St. Helenians are also nicknamed “Saints” and greet everyone with a warm
greeting and hospitality.
Ascension
Island:
This Island derives its
name from its discovery on Ascension Day in 1501.
It was occupied in 1815
to prevent any attempt by Bonapartists to free Napoleon from exile on St.
Helena.
It acquired a strategic
value in World War II and in recent times is a staging post for communications
and as a NASA tracking station.
Commemorative
Coins of Ascension Island:
Apart from the joint coin
issues with St. Helena, a number of which bear images of flora and fauna of the
Isles on the Reverses, Ascension Island has issued several crown-sized coins,
generally complementing the issues of St. Helena.
The first distinctive coin
marked the 25th Anniversary of the Queen’s coronation. Some other
commemorative coins issued by the Ascension Island have been International Year
of the Scout (1983) and the nature conservation Programme of the World Wide
Fund For Nature (1998) for which Frigate birds and long tailed tropic birds
were shown on commemorative coins.
Since 2009, when it
was accorded equal status to St. Helena and Tristan da Cunha, Ascension Island
has begun issuing its own Commemorative coins for special occasions, as a
source of income and as a means of raising the Island’s profile around the
Globe.
In 2015, Ascension
Island brought out a Commemorative One Crown Coin on the 200th
Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo which shows Napoleon Bonaparte on
horseback leading the French into Battle on the Reverse with the inscription “NAPOLEON BONAPARTE” and the
denomination of the coin “1 CROWN”. On the Obverse is a portrait of Elizabeth II facing right and the peripheral
inscriptions “ELIZABETH II. 2015. ASCENSION ISLAND”. This coin has been minted
by Pobjoy Mint, London.
An image of the Ascension Island Commemorative Coin issued in 2015 on the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo showing Napoleon Bonaparte seated on a horse in battle.
(For more Commemorative coins issued on the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, please click on the following links:
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
Coinage:
On 03.01.1984, St.
Helena issued its own circulation coins in the denominatons of 1 Pound, 50, 10,
5, 2 and 1 Pence.
The Obverses of all these coins bore the effigy of Queen
Elizabeth II and were circumscribed with the inscription “QUEEN ELIZABETH II ST. HELENA AND ASCENSION 1984”.
On the Reverse of the 1 (one) Pound coin is depicted
the “Wideawake bird” (or Sooty Tern).
On the Reverse of the 50 Pence coin is depicted a Green Turtle.
On the Reverse of the 10 Pence coin is depicted the Arum Lily.
On the Reverse of the 5 Pence coin is depicted the “Wire Bird” (or “the St. Helena Plover”) which is
the National Bird of St. Helena.
Saint
Helena Plover: The St. Helena Plover (Charadrius sanctaehelenae) also known as
the “wirebird” due to its thin legs, is a small wader, endemic to the Island of
St. Helena. This plover is resident all year on the open areas of St. Helena,
and widespread deforestation on the Island has benefitted this particular
species, as it lives in open clearings in the forest.
The
St. Helena plover is marked as critically endangered in 2007 by IUCN as its
numbers had declined alarmingly to about 200-250 birds. Conservation projects
have been taken up on a war-footing to monitor the birds and to conserve and
grow their numbers.
First
mentioned in 1638, the St. Helena Plover is the National Bird of St. Helena and
it has been depicted on the Island’s Coat of Arms and Flag.
On the Reverse of the 2 Pence coin is depicted a Donkey.
On the Reverse of a 1 Pence coin is depicted a Yellow Fin Tuna.
In 1991, Queen
Elizabeth II’s effigy was redesigned on most denominations, while in the remaining
denominations, it was redesigned in 1998.
In 1998, new
smaller sized 5 and 10 Pence coins were circulated together with a seven-lobed
20 Pence coin.
The
Reverse designs of these coins were changed to:
On the Reverse of the 20 Pence coin is depicted the St. Helena Ebony Flower.
On the Reverse of the 10 Pence coin is depicted a pair of Dolphins.
On the Reverse of the 5 Pence coin is depicted Jonathan the Giant Tortoise.
In 2002, to mark
the occasion of the 500th
Anniversary of the Discovery of St. Helena in 1502, a new 2 Pound coin
was circulated.
On the Reverse of the 2 (two) Pound coin was depicted
the St. Helena Coat of Arms. The
Edge Inscription for the 2002
two Pound coin was “500th Anniversary”.
In 2003,
the 50 Pence coin was also down-sized.
This
complete set of Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) coins dated 2003, was released in
2004 by the Currency Commissioners:
In
2004, a complete set of coins dated 2003 was introduced, along with a new
Bimetallic 2 Pounds coin depicting the St. Helena Coat of Arms on the Reverse.
These
coins were the first complete set of circulation coins to be issued by the
Currency Commissioners.
The cover of the coin
album containing the first complete set of Brilliant Uncirculated coins issued
by the Currency Commissioners dated 2003 but issued in 2004. The cover shows
various scenes from At. Helena and ascension Islands including, mountains, flora
and fauna, sea-life and quaint old buildings.
The Front page of the Coin
album showing St. Helena’s rock lined coastline, and the St. Helena plover (which
has featured on St. Helena coins) along with fishing activity.
The Back page of the Coin
album again showing the extension of St. Helena’s rock lined coastline, the
Green Turtle, a donkey, the St. Helena Ebony flower etc. (the last three having
featured on St. Helena coins).
The Front & Back of
the albums together show the rocklined coastline of St. Helena and the flora
and Fauna, as well as, Sea-life salient features.
An inner page of the Album
shows the Reverses of the Eight denominations of St. Helena and Ascension
Island coins dated 2003 against a background of the St. Helena Coast line - the Bimetallic 2 Pound coin, One Pound, Fifty Pence, Twenty pence, Ten Pence, Five Pence, Two Pence and One Penny coins
The Reverse of the
bimetallic two pound coin.
On the Reverse of the 2 (Two) Pounds coin is depicted
the St. Helena Coat of Arms
with a decorative border incorporating a few
elements from the Coat of Arms and the Arum Lily. Also mentioned on
this coin face is the denomination of the coin “TWO POUNDS”.
St
Helena Coat of Arms or Emblem:
Partial Coat of Arms of St. Helena
The Coat of Arms of St. Helena as a part of the British Overseas
Territory (BOT) of St. Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha wa granted by Royal Warrant published in the
St. Helena Government Gazette on 30.01.1984.
The Shield of the Arms, in the top third part shows a stylised
version of the St. Helena Plover (charadrius
sanctaehelenae), also known as the Wire Bird, which is the National Bird of
St. Helena. The Plover is placed against a yellow background.
The St. Helena Plover is placed above a
coastal scene of the Island in the bottom two-third part of the shield which
shows a ship harboured near rocks off
the Island of St. Helena.
The Coastal scene is taken from the Colonial Seal of the Colony
and shows the Flag of England flying on a three masted ship. When the Flag was
first introduced in 1874, it was a White Ensign.
Motto: The
motto of the Island is “Loyal and Unshakeable” which is placed on a scroll set
on a white disc surrounded by a laurel-leaf garland.
The Full Coat of Arms of St. Helena
The full Coat of Arms features above the shield, a woman holding
a cross and a flower. She represents Helena of Constantinople or St. Helena
after whom the Island is named. The cross is shown as Helena is credited with
finding the relics of the “True Cross” (the Cross on which Jesus was
crucified).
The Shield of the Arms features on the Flag of St. Helena and
the Governor’s Flag as well as the two Pounds coin which shows the full Coat of
Arms on the Reverse.
The Arms were also used by
Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha when they were dependencies of St. Helena
before 2009.
Tristan
da Cunha was granted its own Arms in 2002 and Ascension Island was granted its
own Arms in 2012.
The above is an image of
the Arum Lily
Arum
Lily (“Zantedeschia”):
This is genus of eight species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the
Family Araceae. It is also called the
Arum Lily for “Zantedescia aethiopica”
although it is neither a true Lily nor an Arum. The colourful flowers and
leaves are highly valued and cultivated as an ornamental plant.
The Obverse of the
bimetallic 2 Pound Coin
On the Obverse of the 2 (Two) Pounds coin is depicted
an effigy of the Queen with a
circle of beads around the
portrait with the circumscribing inscription “ELIZABETH II ST. HELENA AND ASCENSION 2003”.
The Specifications of this coin are: Diameter: 28.4 mm; Metal
Composition: Inner: Cupro-nickel. Outer: Nickel-Brass; Weight: 12.00 gms; Edge lettering “Loyal and Faithful”. Shape: Round.
A scanned image of Obverses
of the eight coins – 2 Pounds, 1 Pound, 50 Pence, 20 Pence, 10 pence, 5 Pence,
2 Pence and 1 Penny.
On the Obverses of the 1 (One) Penny to 1 (One) Pound coins
are depicted an effigy of the Queen
with a circle of beads around
the portrait with the circumscribing inscription “ELIZABETH II ST. HELENA AND ASCENSION 2003”.
An image of the Reverse of
the One Pound coin showing a pair of wideawake birds.
On the Reverse of the 1 (One) Pound coin is depicted a
pair of Wideawake Birds. Also mentioned on this coin face is the
denomination of the coin “ONE
POUND”.
The Specifications of this coin are: Diameter: 22.50 mm; Metal
Composition: Nickel-Brass; Weight:
9.50 gms; Edge lettering
“COLONY OF ST. HELENA”. Shape:
Round.
The
above is an image of a Sooty tern
The above is an image of a
Sooty tern in a nest during breeding season
Sooty
Tern (“Onychoprion fuscatus” –
formerly “Sterna fuscata”) or the
“Wideawake Bird”: This is a sea-bird of the tern family
(Sternidae). It is a bird of the tropical oceans and breeds on islands in the
Equatorial Zone.
It is also referred to as
the “Wideawake tern” of simply “Wideawake”. This is because a
colony of these birds makes incessant call. Its Hawaiian name ‘ewa ‘ewa
means cacophony, in essence. In most of Polynesia, its name is “manutara” again meaning “tern bird”. In
English it is referred to as “the tern” or “common tern”. It is also called the
“kaveka” in the Marqeusas Islands. It
is a migratory bird, wintering widely in the tropical oceans.
Interestingly, wherever
the Polynesian sea-farers went on long voyages, they usually found these birds
in amazingly large numbers. Sooty Terns breed in colonies on rocky or coral
islands. It nests in a ground scrape or hole and lays one to three eggs. It
feeds by catching fish from the surface in marine environments, often in large
flocks and rarely comes to breed and can stay out at sea, either soaring or
floating on water for upto 3 to 10 years.
An image of the Reverse of
the Fifty Pence coin showing a green turtle.
On the Reverse of the 50 (Fifty) Pence coin is
depicted the Green Turtle. Also
mentioned on this coin face is the denomination of the coin “FIFTY PENCE”.
The Specifications of this coin are: Diameter: 27.30 mm; Metal
Composition: Cupro-Nickel; Weight:
8.00 gms; Shape: 7 lobed.
An image of a Green Sea
Turtle
Green
Turtle: The Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) is also called the Green Turtle, Black Sea Turtle,
or Pacific Green Turtle. It is a large Sea Turtle whose range extends
throughout tropical and sub-tropical seas around the World with two distinct
populations in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific Oceans. The common name is derived
from the green fat found beneath the carapace.
The Turtle has a pair of large, paddle-like
flippers and is mostly herbivorous. The adults usually inhabit shallow lagoons,
feeding mostly on various species of sea-grasses.
Green Sea Turtles migrate
long distances between feeding grounds and hatching beaches. Females crawl out
on beaches, dig nests and lay eggs during the night. Hatchlings emerge and
scramble for water. The young Turtles are rarely seen, as they swim in deep pelagic
waters and can swim at speeds of 2.5 to 3.0 km per hour (1.6 to 1.9 miles per
hour).
Each year on Ascension
Island, female green turtles make 6,000 to 25,000 nests. Green Sea Turtles (C.Mydas) are among the largest green
turtles in the World and can grow to more than a metre in length and can weigh
up to 300 kilograms.
Those that reach maturity
can live upto 80 years or thereabouts in the wild.
Green
Turtles have been placed on the endangered list by IUCN and CITES and are a
protected species in most countries.
An image of the reverse of
the 20 Pence coin showing the St. Helena Ebony Flower
On the Reverse of the 20 (Twenty) Pence coin is
depicted the St. Helena Ebony Flower.
Also mentioned on this coin face is the denomination of the coin “TWENTY PENCE”.
The Specifications of this coin are: Diameter: 21.40 mm; Metal
Composition: Cupro-Nickel; Weight:
5.00 gms; Shape: 7 lobed.
Saint
Helena Ebony:
An image of the St. Helena
Ebony Flower
Saint
Helena Dwarf Ebony (Trochetiopsis ebenus):
is a species of flowering plant which is endemic to St. Helena. It is a member
of the mallow family, Malvaceae.
It is now critically
endangered in the wild but is cultivated in gardens. St. Helena Ebony is used
for inlay work which is an important craft on the Island. Nevertheless, it can
be propagated from cuttings and there are quite a few gardens on the Island
which carry St. Helena Ebony bushes.
An image of the reverse of
the 10 Pence coin showing a pair of dolphins
On the Reverse of the 10 (Ten) Pence coin is depicted a pair of dolphins. Also
mentioned on this coin face is the denomination of the coin “TEN PENCE”.
The Specifications of this coin are: Diameter: 24.50 mm; Metal
Composition: Cupro-Nickel; Weight:
6.50 gms; Shape: Round.
An image of the reverse of
the 5 Pence coin showing Jonathan the Giant Tortoise
On the Reverse of the 5 (Five) Pence coin is depicted JONATHAN THE GIANT TORTOISE”. Also
mentioned on this coin face is the denomination of the coin “FIVE PENCE”.
The Specifications of this coin are: Diameter: 18.00 mm; Metal
Composition: Cupro-Nickel; Weight:
3.25 gms; Shape: Round.
An image of Jonathan the
Giant Tortoise
Jonathan
the Giant Tortoise: Jonathan who was hatched in 1832
is a Seychelles giant tortoise (Aidabrachelys
gigantean hololissa) who lives on St. Helena.
He was brought to the
Island from the Seychelles in 1882 along with three other tortoises at
about 50 years of age. He continues to live in the grounds of Plantation House,
the official residence of the Governor and belongs to the government of St.
Helena.
His possible age was
determined when a photograph was discovered from a collection of photos from
the Boer War showing him next to a prisoner of war around the year 1900. If his
age is estimated to be around 70 years at the time of the photograph, he could
be possibly the oldest living reptile on the Globe at 185 years in 2015. BBC
Radio has featured Jonathan in an episode of “From Our Own Correspondent” as recently as March 2014.
Interestingly,
the all-time verified record holder for the World’s oldest tortoise according
to the Guinness World Records is Tui Malila who died in Tonga in 1965 at the
age of 189. Advaita, an Aldabra giant tortoise that lived in the Alipore
Zoological Gardens of Kolkata, India is believed to have lived to the age of
255 years but this has not been confirmed/verified.
An image of the reverse of
the 2 Pence coin showing a donkey
On the Reverse of the 2 (Two) Pence coin is depicted a
Donkey. Also mentioned on
this coin face is the denomination of the coin “TWO PENCE”.
The Specifications of this coin are: Diameter: 25.91 mm; Metal
Composition: Bronze; Weight:
7.13 gms; Shape: Round.
An image of the reverse of the 1 Penny coin showing
a Yellow Fin Tuna
On the Reverse of the 1 (One) Pence coin is depicted the
Yellow Fin Tuna. Also
mentioned on this coin face is the denomination of the coin “ONE PENNY”.
The Specifications of this coin are: Diameter: 20.32 mm; Metal
Composition: Bronze; Weight:
3.56 gms; Shape: Round.
The above is an image of a
Yellow Fin Tuna
Yellow
Fin Tuna: The Yellow Fin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) is a species of tuna found in pelagic waters of
tropical and sub-tropical oceans world-wide.
Yellow Fin Tuna are able
to escape most predators, because, unlike most fishes, they are warm-blooded
and their warm muscles make them extremely strong swimmers, with Yellow Fin
Tuna reaching speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. They have the capability of
navigating enormous distances, sometimes crossing entire oceans.
Yellow Fin Tuna are a
popular sport fish in many parts and are prized for their speed and strength
when they fight on rod and reel. They are considered to be the strongest of all
big game Tunas. Yellow Fin Tuna is widely used in raw fish dishes, especially
shasimi and are also served grilled. As such, Commercial Fisheries catch
several Yellow Fin Tuna with encircling nets (purse seines) and by industrial
long-lines.
Historical
development of Banknotes of St. Helena:
From 1716, the
Governor and Council of the Island of St. Helena issued Banknotes for 2½ and 5 shillings
and 1 and 2 Pounds.
After 1917, the St.
Helena Currency Board issued Banknotes in the denominations of 5, 20 and 40
shillings.
In 1976, the
Currency Board of the government of St. Helena circulated 1 and 5 Pound
Banknotes.
The Front of a 1 Pound Banknote issued under the authority of the Government
of St. Helena around 1976. This Face shows a portrait of a young Queen Elizabeth II and
shows wooden Sail ships anchored at Bay off St. Helena.
The Back of the 1 Pound Banknote and bears no date of issue as in the later Banknotes. The Banknote shows the Coat of Arms/Emblem of the East India Company depicting the legend on the scroll ribbon "Auspicio Regis et Senatus Angliae" (meaning "By the Command of the King and Parliament of England"). There is a stylised depiction of "Pound One" towards the right. To the right, is an image of an East India Company ship anchored at Bay.
In 1979, 50 Pence
and 10 Pound Banknotes were issued.
In 1984, the 50
Pence and 1 Pound Banknotes were withdrawn and replaced with circulating coins.
In 1986, 20 Pound
Banknotes were introduced.
In 1988, a
redesigned 5 Pound Banknote was circulated.
In 2004, a new
Series of 5, 10 and 20 Pound Banknotes was introduced with new and improved
security features. These Banknotes were printed by Thomas De La Rue Banknote
and engraving Company, the Security Paper and Printing major. These Banknotes
are presently in circulation.
The Front of a 10 Pound Banknote issued under the authority of the Government of St. Helena. This Face shows a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and shows wooden Sail ships anchored at Bay off St. Helena.
The Back of the 10 Pound Banknote shows the date of issue as "2012". The Banknote shows the Coat of Arms/Emblem of the East India Company depicting the legend on the scroll ribbon "Auspicio Regis et Senatus Angliae" (meaning "By the Command of the King and Parliament of England"). There is a stylised depiction of "Pound Ten" towards the right. In the Centre is an image of an East India Company ship anchored at Bay.
The above is an image of the Coat of Arms of the East India Company
Ascension
Island’s Coat of Arms or Emblem:
The above is an image of the Coat of Arms of Ascension Island granted in 2012
Crest: The Crest is a
three masted ship flying a white Ensign of England.
Supporters: The
Ascension Island Coat of Arms depicts two turtles rampant as Supporters of the
Shield (standing on their hind flippers).
Escutcheon:
The Arms consists of a shield with an inverted “V” (green) through the Centre
to the left and right peripheries. The background is three blue wavy designs
interspersed with three white wavy designs. In three quadrants are seen
Ascension Frigate birds in flight.
Interestingly, when the
Islanders were asked what they would like to see on their Coat of Arms, their
suggestions were incorporated by the College of Arms in London, before
submitting the Arms to Buckingham Palace for the Queen’s approval. The Coat
includes the turtles which famously lay their eggs on Ascension’s beaches.
The Ascencion Island arms
were granted in 2012.
Tristan
da Cunha Coat of Arms or Emblem:
The above is an image of the Coat of Arms of Tristan da Cunha granted in 2002
The Tristan da Cunha Coat
of Arms was granted in 2002.
Escutcheon:
The Arms consists of a shield featuring four albatrosses in a blue and white
mirror image design.
Supporters:
The two Supporters are Tristan Rock Lobsters which are found in the waters
surrounding the Island.
The
Crest: features a
Naval crown and a Tristan da Cunha longboat.
Motto:
The motto on the Arms is “Our Faith is our Strength”.
(The above Brilliant Uncirculated
Coin set has been purchased by me by courtesy of Jayant Biswas who went through
great lengths to book this set for me, as St. Helena Commemorative coins are in
extremely short supply. Getting two sets of the inaugural issue of this Coin
set for both our collections was a great achievement by itself. The Banknotes are from Jayant's collection. Images scanned and post researched and written by Rajeev Prasad).
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
