Commonwealths are countries and other lands owned, or has been owned, at some point by the Kings or Queens of England. For collector interest, I'm not including commonwealths that never minted coins with the Kings or Queens on them. This is a very large undertaking so this thread will update over time. Also when I put "year of first minting", it means when the coin was dated, not when it was actually minted. Alderny: Year of 1st minting under commonwealth ownership: 1989 Last: Still is. However, these coins are seldom used in circulation and are for commemorative purposes. Anguilla: Year of 1st minting under commonwealth ownership: 1968 Last: 1970 However, these coins are seldom used in circulation and are for commemorative purposes. Antigua and Barbuda: Year of 1st minting: 1970 Last: 1988. However, these coins are seldom used in circulation and are for commemorative purposes. Ascension Island: Year of first minting: 1978 Last: Still is. Australia: Year of first minting: 1813 (New South Wales 15 Pence George III). Went to dollar standard in 1966. Last: Still is. Bahamas: Year of 1st minting: 1806-1807 (George III Pirate Penny, Unofficial), Bahama Dollar 1966. Last: Still Is. Barbrados: Year of first minting: 1973 Last: Still is. Belize: Year of first minting: 1973. Last: Still is. Bermuda: Year of first minting: 1793 (Bermuda Penny George III, official circulating coin), 1959 Bermuda Crown (commemorative), 1964 Bermuda Crown, circulating issue, Bermuda Dollar, 1970. Last: Still is. Brittish Antarctic Territory: Year of first minting: 2008. Last: 2012. Coins were commemorative only. British Honduras: Year of 1st minting: 1810 (Countermarked Spanish Coin, 6 shillings, one penny, (6s. 1d.) George III). 1885 (Official Coinage). Last: 1971 British Indian Ocean Territory: Year of first minting: 2009 Last: 2012. No circulating coins produced. British Virgin Islands: Year of first minting: 1973. Last: 1984 (although commemorative coins are still being minted). They use the US Dollar now. British West Africa: Year of first minting: 1907 Last: 1957. British West Indies: Year of first minting: 1820 Last: 1822 Canada: Year of first minting: 1858 (official, although many pieces were made prior, such as bank of upper canada tokens, etc. Last: Still is. Cayman Islands: Year of first minting: 1972 Last: Still is. Ceylon: Year of first minting: 1803 (Crown colony rixdollar), 1871, Ceylon Rupee Last: 1972 Cook Islands: Year of first minting: 1972 Last: Still is. Cyprus: Year of first minting: 1879 Last: 2007 (went to the euro). Demerara and Essequibo: Year of first minting: 1813 Year of last minting: 1832. Dominica: Year of first minting: 1970. Last: 1988. No circulating coins produced. East Africa: Year of first minting: 1908. Last: 1964. Eastern Caribbeans: Year of first minting: 1955. Last: Still is. England (UK). Year of first minting: 1158. Last: Still is. Falkland Islands: Year of first minting: 1974 Last: Still is. Fiji: Year of first minting: 1934 Last: Still is. Gibraltar: Year of first minting: 1841 (1 quart, Victoria), 1967 (Crown, Queen Elizabeth). Last: Still is. Gold Coast: Minted only in 1818. Hong Kong: Year of first minting: 1863. Last: Still is. Grenada: Year of first minting: 1970 only. Non circulating coin. Guernsey: Year of first minting 1830 (although no mention of the Queen or Great Britain). 1966 (1st coin to feature the Queen), 1971 new penny. Guyana: Year of first minting: 1836 (Guilder coinage), pound sterling 1891, went to dollar standard in 1967. Last: Still is. India (Brittish): Year of first minting: 1862 Year of last minting: 1947. Ionian Islands: Year of first minting: Ireland: Year of first minting: 995. Last: 2000 (went to euro). Withdrew from Commonwealth Status in 1949. Isle of Man: (Not an official commonwealth member). Year of first minting: 1786? Last: Still is. Jamica: Year of first minting: 1757 (Counterstamped spanish coinage), 1869 (Victoria circulating coinage). Jersey: Year of first minting: 1841. Last: Still is. Malaya: Year of first minting: 1939. Last: 1950. Malaya and British Borneo: Year of first Minting: 1954 Last: 1961 Mauritius: Year of first minting: 1877 Last: 1971. (Brittish Rule ended in 1968, became republic in 1992). Mombosa: Year of first minting: 1888 Last: 1890. Montserrat: Year of first minting 1970 only. Non-circulating coin. Nauru: Year of first minting: 1996. Last: 2008? Non-circulating only. New Brunswick: Year of first minting: 1854 Last: 1864 Newfoundland: Year of first minting: 1865. Last: 1947 New Guinea: Year of first minting: 1926 Last: 1949. New Zealand: Year of first minting: 1933. Last: Still is (went to dollar in 1967) Nigeria: Year of first minting: 1959 only. Niue: Year of first minting: 1996. Last: Still does. Non circulating coinage only. Nova Scotia: Year of first minting: 1856 Last: 1864. Pitcairn Islands: Year of first minting: 1988. Last: Still does. Non Circulating coins only (uses NZ dollar for currency). Prince Edward Island: Year of first minting: 1871 Only. Rhodesia: Year of first minting: 1964 only. Rhodesia and Nyasaland: Year of first minting: 1955. Last: 1964 Saint Helena: Year of first minting: 1821 (half penny, George IV), 1973 (Commemorative only). Last: 2003 (Commemorative only). Saint Helena and Ascension: Year of first minting: 1984. Last: Still is. Saint Kitts and Nevis: Year of first minting: 1970 Last: 1985. Non circulating coins only. Scotland: Year of first minting: 1100's. Last: 1804 (Counter struck coins.) Seychelles: Year of first mint: 1948 Last: 1975 (became independent in 1976). Sierra Leone. Year of first minting: 1791 (Sierra Leone Company). Last: Still is (commemorative only). Although they never made any modern circulating coinage. Solomon Islands: Year of first minting: 1977 Last: Still is. Somaliland: Year of first minting: 1994. Last: Still is. South Africa: Year of first minting: 1923 Last: 1961 South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands: Year of first minting: 2000 Last: 2011. Non-circulating coins only. Southern Rhodesia: Year of first minting: 1934 Last: 1955 St. Lucia: Year of first minting: 1970 Last: 1985. Non-circulating coins only. St. Vincent: Year of first minting: 1970 Last: 1988. Non circulating coins only. Straits Settlements: Year of first minting: 1845. Last: 1935. Tokelau: Year of first minting: 1978 Last: Still is, commemorative only. Uses NZ dollar. Trinidad and Tobago: Year of first minting: 1966. Last: Still is. Tristan Da Cunha Year of first minting: 1978 Last: Still is. Non circulating only, uses Saint Helena Pound. Turks and Caicos Island: Year of first minting: 1969. Last: Still is (primarily non circulating, uses US Dollar). Tuvalu: Year of first minting: 1976 Last: Still is.
That's a long list... thanks. Note: Hong Kong was transferred to China in 1997. I don't think they are still part of the commonwealth?
New Zealand isn't a commonwealth of the UK. They act as if they are (homage, if you will), but officially they've been unlinked from British Parliament since the mid-80s. Nice list, but needs a bit more fact checking. Google would be able to help with that in about 15 minutes. Also, a commonwealth (general term) doesn't apply only to British Commonwealths. There can be commonwealths of any nation in the world. Here's a list from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_states_of_the_Commonwealth_of_Nations
For countries that are members of the British Commonwealth one only has to look at the participants in the 2014 Commonwealth Games (Formally British Empire Games )to be held in Glasgow, Scotland. Africa Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia Americas Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Falkland Islands, Guyana, St. Helena Asia Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka Caribbean Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands Europe Cyprus, England, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Malta, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales Oceania Australia, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
I apologize for my previous post. I just realized that this thread has nothing to do with the status of commonwealth nations (which is confusing due to the "still is" status for some countries and "withdrew from commonwealth status" on others), but rather for the status of their coinage. In any case, here's a list of the commonwealth nations as acknowledged by the UK: https://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchAndCommonwealth/Commonwealthmembers/MembersoftheCommonwealth.aspx Apparently, it doesn't matter whether you follow the laws of British Parliament or not. All that matters is that the royal family sees you as being a part of its lands.
