Reply to Thread

Message:: [QUOTE="Jimski, post: 2760820, member: 77373"]A second post relating to coins of the British Empire and WW2: The only time that the US mint struck coins for a British territory was during WW2.  Coins were struck for Fiji at the San Francisco Mint, and for Australia at the Denver and San Francisco Mints.  Why was the US Mint called on to produce these coins?  My third post may shed some light on this. I’ve only included photos from the Fiji issues.  I do not own an example from the Australia issues, which were struck at the US Mint in 1942 through 1944. Fiji, florin, silver 0.900 fine 0.3273 ASW, 28.5 mm, minted at San Francisco Mint, S mint mark on reverse.  The fine lines on the fields are die polishing scratches. [ATTACH=full]634486[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]634488[/ATTACH]The San Francisco Mint struck florins, shillings, six pence, pennies, half pennies for Fiji in 1942 and 1943.  Coins of these issues carry the S mint mark. Some history of Fiji follows. Fiji becomes a crown colony. Fiji became a crown colony of Britain in 1874, when Britain accepted an offer of cessation from Ratu (meaning King) Cakobau, who was the ruling monarch in a constitutional monarchy that was in effect at the time.   <a href="http://fijiguide.com/page/history-1" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://fijiguide.com/page/history-1" rel="nofollow">http://fijiguide.com/page/history-1</a>-  European settlement in Fiji resulted in the almost immediate involvement of foreign powers. French, British and US war ships called regularly, often on behalf of aggrieved nationals. As the European population grew, settlers who lived under the protection and at the whim of local chiefs lobbied their respective governments in an effort to annex Fiji and establish a business-as-usual climate. Both the British and American consuls living there were deeply immersed in Fijian affairs. -  {In 1852,} As self-proclaimed King of Fiji, {Tribal King} Cakobau offered to cede Fiji to Britain in return for the payment of his long-overdue US$43,000 debt to the United States {, and with the condition that he be recognized as the King of all Fiji.  Britain refused his offer.} -  After the 1860s the European settlement evolved from a handful of scraggly beachcombers and vagabonds to a more orthodox settler society arriving mostly from Australia and New Zealand. Fiji became attractive because of the belief that the British were going to annex it, and economically as a cotton-growing center for European markets which were deprived of this commodity during the American Civil War. -  By 1870 the European population numbered more than 2000. -  The first attempt at a national government was a council of chiefs which met in 1865, but collapsed two years later because no one could agree on anything. -  {The first government} was followed by the creation of regional governments in Bau, naturally headed by Cakobau; in Lau, run by Ma'afu … and, in Bua. Although the latter two were moderately successful in establishing some kind of order, events were moving too rapidly for the chiefs' attempts at political reform, particularly with the influx of European settlers. -  {In 1871, a constitutional monarchy was established, governed primarily by settlers, with Cakobau as the monarch.}  However, … `the ministers could not satisfy the irreconcilable demands of merchants, planters and Fijians'. The government became universally unpopular' and the situation deteriorated. Talk of race war was heard, and in order to prevent anarchy and bloodshed Cakobau was forced to cede Fiji to Britain. The British, realizing the responsibility they had towards the settlers and the Fijians, and not wishing the country to fall into America's hands, accepted. On 10 October 1874 the deed of cession was signed …  Fiji had become a crown colony. <a href="http://histclo.com/essay/war/ww2/cou/island/pac/w2pi-fiji.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://histclo.com/essay/war/ww2/cou/island/pac/w2pi-fiji.html" rel="nofollow">http://histclo.com/essay/war/ww2/cou/island/pac/w2pi-fiji.html</a>Fiji’s role in WWII: After the initial Japanese offensive following Pearl Harbor {December 7, 1941}, Fiji to the southeast of the Solomons found itself along with New Caledonia and the New Hebrides (Vanuatu) on the front line of the Pacific War. … The U.S. Navy chose Nandi Bay for its main advance naval base (JAMPUFF). The Army, Marines, and Navy rushed air, ground, and naval assets to the island. Fiji boasted of one of the few concrete air strips in the South Pacific and more were soon under construction. The Seabees {United States Naval Construction Battalions} arrived (June 1942). The New Zealanders participated in the buildup. Even before the American buildup, Fiji was one of several targets of the Japanese FS Operation designed to seize the French and British South Pacific islands east of Australia. This would have severing the sealanes to Australia and New Zealand, cutting them off from America, the first step in conquering both Dominions. Operation FS would have been the next Japanese Pacific offensive after they destroyed the American carriers at Midway. The ensuing Japanese Midway disaster (June 1942), however, significantly reduced the striking power of the Imperial Fleet. Fiji was an important support base for the Marines on Guadalcanal. … The American Pacific Fleet proved to have just enough naval power to prevent the Japanese from moving beyond the Solomons until new construction would fundamentally change the balance of naval power. In addition, the United States garrisoned Fiji with 10,000 well-equipped Marines. A Japanese invasion would not have faced the small, poorly equipped force they found on Wake and Guam immediately after Pearl Harbor. Fiji soldiers fought with the Allies in the Pacific campaigns that followed. Fijian soldiers acquired a reputation in the difficult American Solomon Islands campaign. The United States and other Allied countries maintained military installations in Fiji during the War, but after the Solomons campaign, Fiji gradually became a remote rear area used for staging and logistics.[/QUOTE]

Create my FREE Account!

Log in or Sign up

Reply to Thread

Useful Searches