British Caribbean Territories 50 Cents 1955, a busy reverse

WillieBoyd2 · June 4, 2016 9:46AM

This ordinary 30mm copper-nickel coin has a "busy" reverse:

British Caribbean Territories 50 Cents 1955

This coin was the largest of a group of coins issued by the the Currency Board of the British Caribbean Territories / Eastern Group as a common currency called the British West Indies dollar.

The Territories included British Guiana, and the islands of Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, the Leeward Islands (including Anguilla, St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua), and the Windward Islands, (including Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent).

Some of these island names are familiar as hangouts of pirates.

The coin obverse has Britain's Queen Elizabeth II facing right and the legend "QUEEN ELIZABETH THE SECOND".

The reverse is more interesting with emblems of the various territories and islands of the territory.

Barbados - Badge with female figure standing in a shell being drawn across the sea by two sea-horses

Leeward Islands - Badge with five shields

Trinidad and Tobago - Badge with a mountain, a ship in a harbor and the motto "MISCERIQUE PROBAT POPULOS ET FOEDERA JUNGI" from Virgils Aeneid (He approves of the mingling of the peoples and their bonds of union)

Windward Islands - Badge with four quarters

British Guiana - Badge with sailing ship and the motto "DAMUS PETIMUSQUE VICISSIM" (We give and take in return)

The engraver was Thomas Humphrey Paget who designed many coins and medals for the British Empire.