The Keeling-Cocos Islands consists of 27 coral islands that received its name because of being discovered by Captain William Keeling of the British East India Company during one of his trade voyages to India during 1609. The coral group became a British protectorate in 1856, was attached to the colony of Ceylon in 1878 and placed under the administration of the Straits Settlements in 1882. In 1903 it was annexed into the Straits Settlements and incorporated into the colony of Singapore, remaining so until 1955 at which time it was placed under the administration of Australia. Keeling-Cocos Islands' first authorized coinage consisted of a token-type issue which was authorized by Captain John Clunies (Charles) Ross, a Scotsman who used the Islands to warehouse India spices he hoped to sell at substantial profit to the Elite of Europe. Ross bargained with Australia in 1913. to produce the coinage. The token coinage was made of an ivory-colored plastic. Each denomination bears an individual serial number plus the authorizing inscription J. S. CLUNIESROSS. Those denominations are: 5 Cents (5000 minted) 10 Cents (5000 minted) 25 Cents (5000 minted) 50 Cents (2000 minted) Rupee (2000 minted) 2 Rupees (1000 minted) 5 Rupees (1000 minted) Oval 5 Cents. Photo courtesy of Noble Numismatics (serial #178): http://www.noble.com.au/auctions/vi...15&sort=lot ASC&category=3741&page=1&img=y&kw= Round 1913 10 Cents. Nobel Numismatics photo (serial #4935): http://www.noble.com.au/auctions/vi...15&sort=lot ASC&category=3741&page=1&img=y&kw= Square1913 25 Cents (serial number #1919). worldcoingallery.com photo:: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...ds kmTn3 25 Cents (1913)&query=Keeling km Tn3 Octagonal 1913 50 Cents. Noble Numismatics photo (serial number #252): http://www.noble.com.au/auctions/vi...15&sort=lot ASC&category=3741&page=1&img=y&kw= Square 1913 Rupee (serial #862). worldcoingallery.com photo: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...nds kmTn5 1 Rupee (1913)&query=Keeling km Tn5 Oval 1913 2 Rupees (serial #880). worldcoingallerry.com photo: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...ds kmTn6 2 Rupees (1913)&query=Keeling km Tn6 Octagonal 1913 5 Rupees (serial #357) worldcoingallery.com photo: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...ds kmTn7 5 Rupees (1913)&query=Keeling km Tn7 Before those coins of 1913, only paper money was authorized for circulation in the islands. Here's photos of the obverses of that paper currency: http://numismondo.com/pm/kco/ No other tokens/coins were authorized for production for Keeling-Cocos Islands until 1968. Australia (Adminstrator since 1955) minted them. Since 1955 Australian coins and paper currency circulate as legal tender. Denominations and composition of 1968 are as follows: Aqua-color plastic 1968 Cent (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...ands kmTn8 1 Cent (1968)&query=Keeling km Tn8 Aqua-color plastic 1968 5 Cents (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...nts (1968) green plastic&query=Keeling km Tn9 Aqua-color plastic 10 Cents (australianstamp.com photo): http://www.australianstamp.com/coin-web/keeling/tokens/196810ce.htm Aqua-color plastic 25 Cents (australianstamp.com photo): http://www.australianstamp.com/coin-web/keeling/tokens/196825ce.htm Aqua-color plastic 50 Cents (australianstamp.com photo): http://www.australianstamp.com/coin-web/keeling/tokens/196850ce.htm Red-color plastic Rupee (australianstamp.com photo): http://www.australianstamp.com/coin-web/keeling/tokens/19681rup.htm Red-color plastic 1968 2 Rupees (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...pees (1968) red plastic&query=Keeling km Tn14 Red-color plastic 5 Rupees (australianatamp.com photo): http://www.australianstamp.com/coin-web/keeling/tokens/19685rup.htm Red-color plastic 1968 10 Rupees (Goldberg Coins photo) http://www.mkjassociates.com/cgi-bin/ilgvulot.pl?site=1&sale=47&lot=2784 Red-color plastic 25 Rupees (australianstamp.com photo): http://www.australianstamp.com/coin-web/keeling/tokens/196825ru.htm In 1977 Non Circulating Legal Tender uncirculated sets and coins were struck for collectors. The issue was sold to dealers only by the striking mint for resale. (worldcoingallery.com photos): http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...Islands km1 5 Cents (1977)&query=Keeling km 1 http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...slands km2 10 Cents (1977)&query=Keeling km 2 http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...slands km3 25 Cents (1977)&query=Keeling km 3 http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...slands km4 50 Cents (1977)&query=Keeling km 4 http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...Islands km5 1 Rupee (1977)&query=Keeling km 5 http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...slands km6 2 Rupees (1977)&query=Keeling km 6 http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...s (1977) John Clunies Ross&query=Keeling km 7 http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...lands km8 10 Rupees (1977)&query=Keeling km 8 This set was issued for the 150th Anniversary of the Keeling-Cocos Islands, but the only coin in the set containing that information is this 25 Rupees piece: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...lands km9 25 Rupees (1977)&query=Keeling km 9 In 2003 a Proof NCLT commemorative was struck honoring Charles Darwin's visit (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...s (2003) Charles Darwin)&query=Keeling darwin 150 NC-NLT $100 coins were minted (Goldberg Coins photo): http://www.mkjassociates.com/cgi-bin/ilgvulot.pl?site=1&sale=41&lot=4685 In 2004 a 7-piece NCLT uncirculated set was struck for collectors only. It was sold to a special list of dealers for resale to collectors (worldcoingallery photos): http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...ocos Islands X11 5 Cents (2004)&query=Keeling http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...cos Islands X12 10 Cents (2004)&query=Keeling http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...cos Islands X13 20 Cents (2004)&query=Keeling http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...cos Islands X14 50 Cents (2004)&query=Keeling http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...cos Islands X15 1 Dollar (2004)&query=Keeling http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...os Islands X16 2 Dollars (2004)&query=Keeling http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...os Islands X17 5 Dollars (2004)&query=Keeling Thought you might enjoy knowing... Clinker
The Keeling Cocos coins are a very interesting series, and a very hard one to put together. Until the 2004 set came out even those collectors who only wanted one coin per country had a difficult time acquiring one. For some reason the 1913 25 cent seems to be the easiest to find followed by some of the 1977 pieces. The 1968 tokens are almost impossible but do occasionally show up as a full set. As an individual piece the 5 cent seems to be the easiest to find. I sometimes think I have the largest collection of Keeling Cocos in the US. I have a full set of the 1902 currency issue and two full sets of the 1913, 1968, 1977, and 2004 coins plus some triplicates of the 1913 and 1968 pieces.
To Conder101 Can you provide some info on the 1902 coins? I couldn't find very much about them and only discovered two photos of the '02s. More data was available on '02 paper currency then on coins... Clinker
I didn't say I had 1902 coins, I said I have a full set of the 1902 CURRENCY. There were no 1902 coins.
Sorry Conder101... for my error including my research assumptions. I came to the wrong conclusion regarding 1902 and earliar coinage. Paper currency was printed because there was a tremendous lack of circulating coins. Please accept my apology...:headbang: Clinker
