Requestiing info on Eastern Caribbean coinage

Nap

Hello all,

I usually am exclusively a collector of United States coinage, with my main interest being early half dollars.

However, I am currently living and attending school in Grenada, West Indies, so I have naturally taken an interest in the coinage here, the Eastern Caribbean Dollar and its related fractions. However, I know almost nothing about it except for what I have found in pocket change.

I've found denominations of one cent, two cents, five cents, ten cents, twenty-five cents, and one dollar. The earliest year I have come across in change is 1965, though I have not yet found any coins earlier than that, or between 1965 and 1981.

I am mostly searching for a resource on Eastern Caribbean coinage, design and metallic composition changes, mintages, die differences where available, and earlier coinage or currency here. If anyone could suggest a book, magazine article, web site, or even person where I could find some information, I would be extremely appreciative.

Thanks!

1jester

Nap, I'd like to extend you a hearty and warm welcome to the Darkside, on behalf of all of us here. Much luck and fun with the collection. I too am interested in any British colonial issues, but unfortunately lack any knowledge of those coins. I have a few scattered pieces but I'm sorry I can't help you with your quest for info.

oldshep

Welcome to you Nap - hope you spend some time here. The Eastern Caribbean States formarly the British Caribbean Territories(Eastern Group) formed a currency board in 1950 to provide the constituent territories of Trinadad& Topango, Barbados, British Guiana(now Guyana), British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Granada with a common currancy to permit withdrawal from the British Pound. This was dissolved in 1965 and after the breakup, the East Caribbean Territories, a grouping of Barbados, The Leeward and Windward islands came into being. The coinage of the dissolved Eastern Group continues to circulate.
A series of 4-dollar coins tied to the FAO coinage program were released in 1970 under the name of the Caribbean Development Bank by eight loosely federated island groupings in the eastern caribbean and are listed separately under Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Monserrat, St. Kits, St. Lucia and St. Vincent.

This is all from the 2003 edition of Krause Standard Catalog of World Coins. The oldest coin listed under this section is 1955 and is the British East Caribbean Territories 1/2 cent, 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents, 25 cents 50 cents. East Caribbean Territories has a 10 dollar coin in 1980 and 1981, Then The East Caribbean States have coinage from 1981 to current in 1/2, 2, 5, 10, and 25 cents and 1,2,10, 50, 100 and 500 dollars.

Hope that wasn't too much info. The Krause book has all of the pictures of the coins also.
Shep

NJMark1

Hi Nap

Welcome to the Darkside. Just a few comments to follow the excellent post by shep. First there a 3 distinct coin sets from the East Caribbean Teritories/States
1955 to 1965 EastCaribbean Territories- 1/2 cent 1 Cent 2 Cent 5 Cent 10 Cent 25 Cent 50 Cent
1981 to 2001 East Caribbean States- 1 Cent 2 Cent 5 Cent 10 Cent 25 Cent and 1 Dollar
2002 to Date East Caribbean States- the same denominations except all the coins have a new portrait of the Queen and all are round not the scalloped or square old pattern 1-2-5 cent coins.
Anything over 1 dollar are Non circulating Legal tender and will not be found in change.
Two coins out of the set are what I consider tough to find
The 50 Cent coin ECT 1955 or 1965 1955 is much harder to find.
The 1 Dollar coin ECS 1981 or 1986. It took me a LONG time to find this one I ended up getting one from a dealer in England.
The rest are easily found and very common. I hope this helps. BTW if you find any of the dollars from 1981 or 1986 I would be happy to
buy them.

Mark

oldshep

Here is a picture of my 1981 dollar:



Shep

LovelyDarkAngel

Wellcome to the forum Nap

tbirde56

Welcome!
Barbados $4, copper-nickel, 30,000 minted (on my List):

NJMark1

Shep

Nice 81 dollar! Pic of my 86 and 55 Half Dollar New Portrait 2002 Dollar


Mark

Nap

Hi again, sorry for the delayed response.

I appreciate the comments and info given here, it's been of much help. I'll have to pick up a copy of the Krause catalogue when I come back to the States.

The 1981 and 1986 dollar coins are not terribly difficult to find in circulation here, I've found a few of them so far. However, all are well worn. I've yet to come across any half dollars; they probably no longer circulate. The majority of the coins in circulation seem to be from 2002 or 1989, at least in my experience. I have yet to see any 2003 or 2004 coins. The ECT coins of 1965 and earlier are pretty difficult to come across in change, though I have found a few quarters, which are the same size and look very similar. Fortunately, I think I am the only coin collector among my classmates, so I get to sift through all their change drawers looking for dates.

I don't know of any coin dealers around here; it's probably easier to get uncirculated older coinage back in the US than it is on the island. For now, I'm quite content to collect pocket change though.

Shipcoin

Wow! Great shipcoins Shep and Mark! My EC dollar is not a round one. And I like very much your 50 cents with small ship, Mark!

And here some links for Nap:
Antigua

British Virgin Islands

Dominica

St Kits & Nevis

St Vinsent

St. Lusia

SYRACUSIAN

Here's one that I won recently.

NJMark1

Nice 1/2 Cent Don't see too many full Red.

Mark