World coins chat: Fiji

Fiji is an island nation in the Pacific between Vanuatu and Tonga. It lies to the north east of Australia and north of New Zealand. Fiji's population is 850,000.

Fiji's indigenous population is mostly Melanesian. Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to visit Fiji in 1643. Soon Fiji became notorious for cannibalism and as a result Europeans shunned the place for centuries.

Fiji was united into a kingdom on 1871, but sought protection from Great Britain in 1874. The British brought many contract labourers from India to Fiji for the sugar plantations as they did not wish to exploit the local population. Soon the Fiji-Indians became a majority.

Fiji became independent in 1970. Frpm the 1980's the tensions between Melanesians and Indians became worse which resulted in political instability and remigration of Indians. In 1987 the Republic of Fiji was proclaimed following a coup.

Despite the ethnic troubles Fiji is a popular holiday destination. Fiji's economy relies mostly on tourism, and it is one of the better developed economies in the region.

Currency
The Fijian Pound, equal to a British Pound, was introduced in 1873. UK coinage was used and from 1910 Australian currency circulated alongside British money. After the suspension of the gold standard this caused confusion as the Australian and British Pounds' values started to float. In 1933 it was decided to follow Australia's 25% devaluation (Fiji £1 = UK 16s = $3.61) and coins and banknotes specifically for Fiji were introduced. The Fijian Pound remained at par with the Australian unit and this remained the case when both currencies were decimalised to Dollars in the late 60's at $2 = £1. After independence the Fijian Dollar started losing value and currently trades around A$0.65 or $0.48.

Coins
Fiji's first coins were based on the Pound system. The half and one penny were made of cupro-nickel and holed. There was no threepence, the silver coins were a sixpence, shilling and florin. In 1947 a brass threepence was added that looked like the brass one in the UK. The last silver coins for circulation were minted in 1945.

1969 saw the introduction of decimal coinage, with the portraits of Elizabeth II changing over time. Her portrait continued to be used after 1987 despite Fiji becoming a republic. In 2012 a new coin series was introduced without the queen's portrait. In 2014 the size of the 2 Dollar coin was increased to make it easier to distinguish from the 1 Dollar coin.

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/fidji-1.html

Some early Fijian coins for you.

Before 1934, Fiji used both Imperial coinage of the UK and Australian coinage. New Zealand coinage was considered for Fijian use, but by the time it arrived in New Zealand, a uniquely Fijian coinage had been planned and it never included NZ coins.

There is evidence that Fijian coinage circulated in other Pacific Islands, namely Tonga and the New Hebrides and Solomon Islands.

The first coins were issued in 1934 and included a Silver 2/- Florin, 1/-, 6d and Copper Nickel Pennies and Halfpence.

The latter two were issued with holes, to make it convenient for Native Fijians and Indians who did not have long pants or storage pockets, the low value coins saw the most usage and thus were always needed on hand for market purchases by the Natives and Indians.

The 6d to Florin were solid coins needed for larger transactions and mainly used by Europeans and Chinese Fijians.


Cupronickel Penny - KGV 1936


1936 Florin in .500 Silver


Shilling - Sixpences and Florins and early mix (All photos and coins - Moneytane)

The designs on the 3 top coins were by Percy Metcalfe along with his design of KGVI crowned effigy. The KGV effigy was the one by Percy Metcalfe also and also used on New Zealand and Southern Rhodesian coins.

Designs - ½d and 1d - Words around ring
3d - Fijian Bure (1947 designed by NZ designer James Berry)
6d - Sea Turtle (Percy Metcalfe)
1/- - Camakua (Fijian Outrigger canoe)
2/- - Coat of Arms of Fiji (Both coins Percy Metcalfe)


In 1936 Pennies with King Edward VIII were issued and these are not especially rare. Coins were also issued in the name of King George V too.


Copper Nickel Halfpenny of King George VI - A scarce date 1940

In 1937 King George VI coins were issued with a crowned effigy of King George VI as expected for Crown Colonies. This was designed by Percy Metcalfe

Coins were issued in most, but not every year.


1942 Sixpence with Crowned effigy of KGVI - minted in USA.

In 1939 Fiji was in the war with the rest of the British empire and in late 1941 with Japan in the war, Fiji was a target all of a sudden. The Americans arrived and with local help built an aerodrome at Nadi on the Northwest coast of Viti Levu. They also minted most of Fiji's coins between 1942 and 1944. These coins were marked with an S for San Francisco mint mark on them and the silver coins were .900 silver and Pennies and Halfpence were made out of brass as Nickel was needed for the war effort.


Brass - Wartime penny, also minted in the USA

After World War, the Americans left (Fiji was never attacked, but served as a base for the Americans) and coinage supplies went back to the UK mints with occasional Australian help.

In 1947 a brass sided 3 pence was added and this showed a bure. Also the 3 high coins were now issued in Cupronickel.


Fijian wartime Florin - S Mintmark (Sorry for bad shot)

The inscription changed to King George the Sixth after 1948 and in 1953 Coins with Queen Elizabeth II appeared.


1957 Cupronickel Shilling with QE2

Again a "Crowned colonial bust" was used.

Numbers of all coins except the Halfpenny which was last issued in 1954 were generous through the 1950s and 1960s, with last issues of all coins being in 1967 or 1968.

Later Cupronickel coins including a Brass Threepence

Fiji became decimal in September 1969, mainly as the rest of the Pacific had and this ensured time for required numbers of coins to reach Fiji.


1980 20 cent piece with Machin bust of the Queen used between 1969 and 1985.

However more on decimal Fiji coins in another post.

For Banknotes, don't really have any.
But basically - 1st notes were in the 1930s and were 5/-, 10/- £1 and £5.
In 1941, old 1934-40 Banknotes of New Zealand (10/- and £1) were sent as emergency use and were overprinted Fiji, however if the Japanese invaded, these would be invalid.

Fractional currency notes of 1/-, 2/- and even 2/6 were also issued.

After the war it was back to the 5/- to £5 series.

In 1969 with decimal currency, notes from 50c to $10 were issued. The 50c replaced the 5/-.

The decimal coins were released in late 1969 and large numbers were issued with some 11 million 1 cent coins for a population of barely 500,000 people!


1969 set - Photo coins.ee- numismatics (Online)

Originally in 1969 just 6 coins were issued. The 1c to 20c were circulation and the $1 showing the coat of arms on it was a one off. In 1970 Fiji gained independence.


1969 - 1999 coins The 1c to 20c coins

The coin designs were all by Ken Payne and were
1c - Kava Bowl
2c - Handmade Fan
5c - Lali (Fijian Drum)
10c - Throwing Club
20c - Tabua (Conch shell for use as a horn)

At this stage there was no 50 cent coin, as it was still a note denomination.

More information soon as the Fijian coin story gets better!

Fiji in 1975 finally scrapped the 50 cent note and added a 50 cent piece to their coin line up (The 1969 dollar coin had been a souvenir piece only - few circulated if any).

50 cent coin, $1 dollar 2nd type and 1995 FAO 5 cent piece

The coin again featured a design by Ken Payne of a Fijian outrigger canoe (Camakua or Kamakua) and was similar to the old one shilling coin.

In 1980 came a Independence 50 cent piece and various coins with FAO obverses (Food and Agriculture Organisation) common for developing countries like Fiji.

In 1986/7 the effigy changed to the Maklouf one and this survived on Fijian coins until 2011. Strangely apart from NCLT issues, the Broadley effigy did not appear on Fijian coins.

In 1990 given the rising prices of nickel, the composition of the coins all changed. The 1c and 2c were now copper plated zinc and 5c - 50c were made out of Nickel plated steel to save money. The sizes and shapes of the coins remained the same.

In 1995 a aluminium bronze dollar coin was issued and the $1 note was now discontinued, by 1995, $20, $50 and $100 notes had been added to the line up. The coin showed a Saqamoli - a ceramic Fijian water bottle.

Finally all these coins including the 1c and 2c coppers were issued and used through to 2005.

In 2009, the coinage of Fiji was redesigned and shrunk in size


Reduced size steel 5c - 50c

The funny thing was the 5c and $1 were unaffected (Well the dollar was thinner reducing from 8 grams to 5 grams in weight)

The 10c, 20c and 50c were all shrunk in size, as they were worth much less and by 2009 the Fijian dollar was declining in value. By this stage there had been 3 major coups - Sitiveni Rabuka in 1987, George Speight in 2000 and Frank (Voreqe) Bainamarama in 2009. Surprisingly all 3 became popular and elected leaders, today Voreqe is still Prime Minister!

The coups were bought about by Fijian resentment at Indian dominated government and now Fijians are the majority, many Fijian Indians having migrated, mostly to New Zealand and Australia.

The reduced size coins were also in response to New Zealand shrinking all their coins and making them out of steel as well. Other Pacific Islands like the Cooks, Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu followed in the early 2010s.

In 2009, Fiji was booted out of the Commonwealth of Nations for Bainamarama's coup and the first few months of military law. As a result, Fijian coins changed again.

So starting in 2012 - they issued coins without the Queen's portrait.


Set of 2012 - 14, coins missing the 10 cents (With large size $2 coin)

This saw the designs used on the $1 down to 5c now with the name of the item on the coin in Fijian and the other sides showed fauna with a Fijian name. These included fish on the 5c and 50c, a bat on the 10c, a Kaka (Parrot) on the 20c, a Lizard on the $1 and an eagle like bird on the $2.

Speaking of $2 coins, this was a new denomination issued in 2012. The small coin was barely larger than the $1 coin and it was decided to enlarge it slightly in 2014. The coin I have is one of the larger coins. The coin also showed a Kava bowl (Tanoa) which was similar to the design on the one cent. Sadly I have no idea who designed the beautiful fauna and images on the dollar values.

There have been no new standard circulation coins issued since 2014 and in September that year after a democratic election bought Voreqe to power legitimately, they were readmitted to the commonwealth of nations - despite this, they are not returning to the monarch on coins.


Iliesa Delana 50 cent coin 2013

Fiji also issued several one off coins for circulation over the years including an Independence dollar in 1970, a 10th anniversary 50 cents in 1980, a Centenary of Indian settlement 50 cents in 1979 and a few others, one of the interesting ones was for Iliesa Delana, a Paralympian High Jumper who won a gold medal in the 2012 Paralympics.

This coin is interesting as it has Coin alignment rather than medal alignment. In 2017 a similar 50 cent coin was issued for the Fiji Rugby Sevens team who also won a gold medal at some engagement (I don't know, I don't care for thugby). This was the last circulation coin released to date.

Sadly since 2010 Fiji, has also issued a lot of NCLT coins and Bullion coins. The Bullion coins including the Taku Turtle 1oz Silver round are fairly nice, but there has been a lot of gimmicky junk issued as well, such a trimetallic dollars with fish on them, a series of silver rounds that have soft drink labels on them and all sorts of commercialised schmaltz.

This essay was about circulation coins of Fiji, something I love and collect ardently, whereas the NCLT and Bullion stuff holds little interest - yet the coins are all on the Numista catalogue.

I hope you all enjoyed this romp through Fijian coin history - Bula!

Despite what catalogues say, there are NO 1 Cent or 2 Cents from Fiji dated 2002, 2003, 2004, or 2005.

There is also NO 2 Dollars dated 2013 or a small type 2 Dollars dated 2014.

Fiji was suspended from the Commonwealth from 2009 to 2014, not forced out - so it has remained a Commonwealth republic since 1997.

Aidan.

Always has to be one party pooper.

Said none of those things he accused me of. Maybe he should read the article before rushing to snap judgements.

That 1936 Florin is amazing!

Thanks, I got it in a big lot of world coins.

It's definitely a better than average piece, most Fijian coins are either stained or heavily worn - lots of rough use in a tropical and humid climate I guess.

It is a country I actively collect and unlike NZ, getting their entire run is fairly easy.

Fiji's pre-decimal coinage is very nice. Even the first decimal coins are nice for beginners.

Unfortunately I have never been ro Fiji. It was planned for July out of Australia but a freak of nature got in the way. Right now our action radius has shrank to Northern Sydney, and many parks and walkways are sealed off now. It is what it is. It's a small sacrifice to make now to get it under control.

Totally agree, many of the coins are cheap compared to New Zealand. Take that Florin, I have graded it at aVF/VF (I grade quite tough) and yet it would probably cost around $20 with a catalogue value of $30 - $35 I guess. There were 65k made.

Now take the NZ florin for 1936, 140k a small year, a VG costs close to $15 and VF is about $100, even a common date like 1934 is about $30 VF. It is a good value country! The cupronickel stuff is even cheaper and being here in NZ (And probably for you in Australia, there is a lot of Fijian coins on the market).

One problem though, like my 1940 Halfpenny - is a lot of it will have stains, verdigris or be very worn as like most tropical countries are very harsh on silver, copper and nickel.

I also have an extensive collection of Fijian stamps from 1872 to 2015 and mostly complete including many earlies (Their 1875 - 1902 issues were very extensive and the KGVI set is also very interesting with varieties and errors).

If it helps my world is limited to central eastern Auckland at the moment too and I have not been able to buy coins since March 25th. Also here you can not get any takeaway, cafe food including coffee or get your hair cut under our lockdown.

can anyone point me to the history (story) of/behind the Fijian (1991) gold 25 Dollar (War Fan Privy Mark) piece (KM-57)? the artwork is phenomenal and i would like to read more about it
thanks
Don

I absolutely love Fiji Penny's, been collecting them a long time.

Just a little reference whipped up in my spare time. A chart showing mintages of the Fijian Predecimal coins for each year from 1934 - 1968.

It enlarges!!! And you are more than free to save it, makes a cute little check list for that Fijian collection you are building.

Fiji is one of the best countries to collect if you want cheap and beautiful examples of coins that have an interesting back story and low mintages!

Colours - Dark grey = Cupronickel coins (Pennies and Halfpence except 42/43 and all 6d - 2/- after 1947)
Lighter grey = 50% silver coins minted in London 1934 - 41 and 45, these include the 6d, 1/- and 2/-
Lighest grey = 90% silver coins minted in San Francisco 1942 and 1943
Darker Yellow = Brass Halfpence and Pennies minted in San Fran 1942/43
Lighter Yellow = Threepences minted 1947 - 1967 (The coin was only introduced in 1947).
- = Years of no coins minted, this includes 1939, 1944, 1946 and 1948 when no Fijian coins were minted.
No halfpennies were minted after 1954 and only pennies were minted in 1968.

Some better pictures of Predecimal coins of Fiji

Halfpennies
Some high grade scarce dates

Pennies


Threepences

The Fijian Threepence coin was similar in size, shape and composition to the British brass one, only the design and portraits are different (As Fiji was a colony, it had the crowned colonial portraits of the monarch).

Sixpences

The 1941 is a scarce coin, the Lizzies are much easier to find!

Shillings

The 1937 has the portrait of the King, with the word "King" on the left side, this was moved in 1938.

Florins

This big slab of a coin was beautiful in either silver or copper nickel.

You can see photos of some of mine up on http://www.omnicoin.com/collection/BCNumismatics .

Aidan.

Just to let you all know, that Numista have made me the Refereee for Fiji!

Expect the Fijian section to have a clean up in the next few weeks.

And finally if you don't already - why not collect the coins and banknotes of Fiji, they are beautiful and interesting and also have low mintages and most are affordable.

And like that my refereeing career is over. I got annoyed at all the dodgy NCLT I had never heard of and some of the very partisian collectors of it.

 

Sadly Fiji has gone down the road of issuing wallpaper coins of low quality topics and merit.

Sorry, Moneytane, I can't agree if you mean by wallpaper coins, modern ones.

           (you know these, mate)

 I have a couple of 2012 Nuqa Roro (a fish) 5 cent-pieces N# 42675, three 2012, and one 2014 Beka mirimiri (a native bat) 10 cent-pieces N# 42676, and the same amount of Kaka (a parrot) 20 cent-pieces, N# 42677. Also, a 2012 Varivoce (another fish) 50 cent N# 42679 (EF), and a 2017 1 dollar with Vokai (Banded Iguana, Brachylophus fasciatus) on obverse and saqamoli, a native ceramic water bottle,  on reverse. N# 42680 (UNC).

 All are BU unless noted, and I love them as much as all the silver and copper nickel (and WW2 Brass) going back to George V.

 

My favourite Fijian coin is the 1979 FAO coin: 1879 GIRMIT 1979 50 cents SUGAR FOR THE WORLD. N# 9413.

 

 My main two areas of collection are FIJI (1st) and New Guinea (a close 2nd).

 

 If, however, you mean by wallpaper coins, crap bullion, then yes, Fiji has joined that club!

What is NCLT, please, Moneytane?

And I will sit down and read all of this later - I just noticed there are photos of the coins, of which I speak at the top.

Arthur Yapp

What is NCLT, please Moneytane?

Some of the recent ones:  https://en.numista.com/catalogue/index.php?e=fidji&r=&ct=coin&im1=&im2=&tn=y&cat=y&ru=&ca=3&no=&v=&i=&b=&ie=&u=&a=2020-2023&dg=&m=&f=&t=&w=&mt=&g=&se=&d=&c=&wi=&sw=

 

Non-Circulating Legal Tender 

 

Try spending one of these:

As you will see from the last line of my main message I agree with you 100%! How does this sort of thing work, if you know? Is it just a way to gain revenue, or what? Thanks

Hilarious! I notice that our own country (NZ) is getting close to the line on this. Lords of the Rings, I can understand, but it seems that every animal, Famous Person, bird, Royalty, of course, AND Hairy McLairy, etc, is getting its own gold or silver proof.

Many of them carry a registered trademark so the government/mint split the proceeds from the sales and the money they're paid to advertise the product.  Fiji put out 321 coins from 2010 to 2023.  Only 15 of them were actually circulating.

Thanks rsirian1!    While saving Moneytane's handy chart, I just remembered I bought a high-grade Fijian 1940 6d today, so I'm pretty happy about that. NZD 12.00

Yes I agree with definitions of NCLT - most countries are polluted with it. Some is nice like Royal anniversaries, cultural things and topics relevant to the country and nature. But coins that promote super heroes, sports, pop culture and Americana outside the USA are garbage.

 

Arthur, thats a good reason to collect Fiji, nice coins with very low mintages and yet so affordable. Fiji had many coins with 5 figure mintages and they are easy to find (Especially in New Zealand and Australia), yet if an American coin was 5 figures - its a gold stone rarity worth Kabillions.

 Yeah, Fijian coins are certainly affordable here in New Zealand. Especially when your main guy likes to take his yearly holiday over there. I'm like, “Rich, Rich, score me this, or score me that, or something from Tuvalu.”  “Yeah, I'll swim there, mate.” 

 Smartarse…

I hadn't known much about Fijian coins before becoming the referee, so it shocked me to see 14 pages of mostly American junk that can barely be considered coins (In my opinion)

CarF

I hadn't known much about Fijian coins before becoming the referee, so it shocked me to see 14 pages of mostly American junk that can barely be considered coins (In my opinion)

Thats the reason I quite being referee after a few weeks, lots of Niue style junque from Buddy Richenburg American Trumpo mints.

Plus the guy who was making me approve got angry I was not going quick enough.

I see, well I myself haven't gotten a single catalogue submission in a week. Which is odd considering I'd expect the nation of Fiji to have more than zno

Niue

CarF

I see, well I myself haven't gotten a single catalogue submission in a week. Which is odd considering I'd expect the nation of Fiji to have more than zno

Niue

Numismaster has issued KM numbers to 405 coins from Fiji from 2020-2024. Numista only has 120 of them in the catalog. You have your work cut out for you. Don't expect to only add coins submitted by other members if you want to update with the missing coins. Most of the Niue coins have been added by the referee.

 

BTW…The privately owned New Zealand Mint makers of many of the Niue coins also makes many of the Fiji coins.

Of course, I know, I just expected more contributions.

Meanwhile back at the interesting and collectible end of Fijian coins. Here's some rarities in silver from the 1930s.

 

 

Scarce (30,000) 1937 Florin in EF/AU condition. This and the 1938/41 Florins had very low mintages.

 

 

1935 Sixpence, only the 2nd year of issue!

 

 

Bit more worn (good Fine) 1938 6d, and a rare date of 40k minted.

 

I now just need a 1956 threepence and 1936 and 1967 Sixpences and I will have a complete set of Predecimal coins.