we have no bananas today!" You remenber that whimsical song and the Chiquita Brand's Bananas jingle? Is this logo familiar? (Go ahead, check other Year's stickers): http://www.chiquita.com/#/OurStory/ Maybe this sticker was on the bananas you bought: http://hahaha.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c02ce53ef01116883b170970c-pi Or one of the other ones in this Flickr photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cz/3682680015/ Do you, also, remember the F.A.O. coinage that was struck to fight world hunger? Some of the F.A.O. coins (1970) feature a three-hand cluster of bananas on them. Why are they called hands? Because the fruit (bananas) are referred to as fingers. A hand contains five or more fingers. A cluster (also referred to as a bunch), usually comprises three hands, but may only hold one or two hands or be as many as six hands or even more. Mind you, I'm not here to teach you all about bananas, but believe there's some things you should know before going on to the coin photos, some of which, are courtesy of worldcoingallery.com. The banana plant, often erroneously referred to as a "tree", is a large herb (or small bush), and produces berries from 2 1/2" to 12" (6.4-30 cm) in length and 3/4" to 2" (1.9-5 cm) in width, in oblong, cylindrical and blunt to pronouncedly 3-angled, somewhat curved and hornlike shapes. World production is estimated to be 28 million tons—65% from Latin America, 27 % from Southeast Asia, and 7 % from Africa. Enough said about bananas. Most every island in the Caribbean produces crops of Bananas so lets take a look at some of their coins: Saint Kitts and Nevis 1970 $4 F.A.O. http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...d Neviss km1 4 Dollars (1970) FAO&query=Kitts Saint Lucia 1970 $4 F.A.O.: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...d Neviss km1 4 Dollars (1970) FAO&query=Kitts The next F.A.O. coin wasn't minted in 1970 but in 1977. It isn't a $4 coin either. That's a four-hand cluster of bananas laying there: Saint Thomas and Prince Island 1977 20 Dobras F.A.O.: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... km30 20 Dobras (1977) FAO&query=thomas km 30 Our next F.A.O. coin is a $4 coin minted in 1970: Saint Vincent 1970 $4 F.A.O.: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...ncent km13 4 Dollars (1970) FAO&query=Vincent And here's another F.A.O. 1970 $4 coin featuring bananas on it: Dominica 1970 $4 F.A.O.: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...nica km11 4 Dollars (1970) FAO&query=Dominica Way back in 1961, Katanga featured a stylized cluster of Bananas on all three denominations of it's coinage. The first two photos lack clarity, but the special Gold 5 Francs' photo more than makes up for them: 1961 Bronze Franc: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...Katanga km1 1 Franc (1961)&query=Katanga km 1 26.3mm Bronze 5 Frans: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...atanga km2 5 Francs (1961)&query=Katanga km 2 1961 Gold (0.3857 oz. AGW) 5 Francs: http://worldcoingallery.com/countri...km2a 5 Francs (1961) gold&query=Katanga km 2a In 2003 Rwanda issued a 10 Francs coin featuring a banana herb with a six-hand cluster of fruit. (worldcoingallery.com photo): http://worldcoingallery.com/countri... Francs (2003) Banana tree&query=Rwanda km 24 Would you like to see an old token from 1923 England created for a produce wholesaler who marketed bananas? Photo courtesy of Washington Banana Museum (bananamuseum.com). The token was issued by Elders and Fyffes for a promotional campaign. Obverse: http://www.bananamuseum.com/eatbananas3.gif Reverse: http://www.bananamuseum.com/eatbananas24.gif And for you paper currency collectors check out this photo of a Bahamian $1/2 Banknote courtesy of The Central Bank of The Bahanas: http://www.centralbankbahamas.com/bank_notes.php Have you heard about The Big Banana of Australia? The Big Banana is a tourist attraction in the city of Coffs Harbour, New South Walles and consists of a large building in the shape of a banana. Many banana-related products are shown or sold, and the grounds of the building are a banana plantation, a souvenir shop and restaurant. Built in 1964, it was one of the first of Australia's Big Things. Here's a Wikipedia photo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Big_banana.JPG There are other Big Banana businesses in Australia and even one in New Zealand. In 2010, Australia issued a series of 50 Cent stamps featuring "Big" things on them including one with the Big Banana on it. Not only were postage stamps printed featuring bananas, but in 1969 Tonga issued banana shaped 2 Shilling postage stamps. Photo courtesy of Box Company of Zaire. (scroll down to see photo displaying three Tonga Banana Shaped Stamps: http://www.box.co.za/post/\ Even some Post Cards feature bananas on them, like this one of a shopper enjoying her selection of bananas inside a Japanese produce market. A Time magazine photo: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1850454,00.html Hope you enjoyed the trip down memory lane along with those little detours... Clinker
Very nice Clinker. I admire the way you research and present your trivia material. Bananas would make an interesting theme for a type set. Thanks for sharing.
I planted 4 banana trees two months ago. I have a Blue Java, Raji Puri, Williams Hybrid, and a Dwarf Orinico. Hopefully I'll have fruit before winter. No coins with bananas though, just trees.
Of course, anything will grow in Florida. I planted a $20 bill a few months back. Well, almost everything will grow. Chris
Anything will grow in florida? You should see how pathetic my garden is. Everything is small and dieing. I wish I could get some DDT.
Naww, agent orange is a defoliant, it will kill the plants. And actually, DDT is not that toxic as long as you aren't a bird egg.
