Tuvalu is very small country in Pacific Ocean. It has an area 26 sq.km. and population 11206 people. Funafuti is a capital of this country. Archipelago of Tuvalu - are 4 small islands and 5 atolls. Tuvalu was found by Spanish navigator Alvaro de Mendana de Neyra at 1568. During the next 220 years Europeans didn't visit these islands. At 1788 English seafarers John Marshall and Thomas Gilbert have visited some of Tuvalu islands. At the second half of XIX century Peruvian slave traders began to visit the islands of Tuvalu - for hunting on local islanders. Since 1892 till 1916 Tuvalu was the part of British protectorate Ellis Islands. Since 1916 till 1974 Tuvalu islands were the part of the British colony Gilbert and Ellis Islands. At 1978 Tuvalu became an independent monarchy. Queen Elisabeth II is the ruler of Tuvalu.
Tuvalu has an own currency - dollar of Tuvalu. At the same time, Australian dollar is legal currency too. 1 dollar of Tuvalu = 100 cents.
1 cent 1976, bronze, weight - 2,6 g., size - 17,5 mm, mintage - 93000 pcs. Engravers - John Donald (reverse) and Arnold Machin (obverse - queen's portrait). Royal Mint (London). Coins of this type were released at 1976, 1981 and 1985.
2 cents 1976, bronze, weight - 5,2 g., size - 21,6 mm, mintage - 51000 pcs. Engravers - John Donald (reverse) and Arnold Machin (obverse - portrait of queen). Royal Mint (London). Coins of this type were released at 1976, 1981 and 1985.
5 cents 1976, copper-nickel, weight - 2,8 g., size - 19,4 mm, mintage - 26000 pcs. Engravers - John Donald (reverse) and Arnold Machin (obverse - portrait of queen). Royal Mint (London). Coins of this type were released at 1976, 1981 and 1985.
10 cents 1976, copper-nickel, weight - 5,6 g., size - 23,5 mm, mintage - 26000 pcs. Engravers - John Donald (reverse) and Arnold Machin (obverse - portrait of queen). Royal Mint (London). Coins of this type were released at 1976, 1981 and 1985.
20 cents 1976, copper-nickel, weight - 11,25 g., size - 28,45 mm, thickness - 2,32 mm, mintage - 36000 pcs. Engravers - John Donald (reverse) and Arnold Machin (obverse - portrait of queen). Royal Mint (London). Coins of this type were released at 1976, 1981 and 1985.
50 cents 1976, copper-nickel, weight - 15,5 g., size - 31,65 mm, mintage - 19000 pcs. Engravers - John Donald (reverse) and Arnold Machin (obverse - portrait of queen). Royal Mint (London). Coins of this type were released at 1976, 1981 and 1985.
1 dollar 1976, copper-nickel, weight - 16 g., size - 33 mm, mintage - 21000 pcs. Engravers - John Donald (reverse) and Arnold Machin (obverse - portrait of queen). Royal Mint (London). Coins of this type were released at 1976, 1981 and 1985.
1981 cameo proof set. my favorite coin in the set is the octopus. I really like how they used the tentacles in the space of the coin...
I have 2 or 3 of the 1994 issues which are extremely scarce. A genuinely interesting currency issue for a country which tends to use their parent's coins.
They also have some neat colorized silver coins.. Star Trek! I want to share these images from the internet with you. Not my coins
and the cameo proof sets are scarce. took awhile to see/find 1 on Ebay. now there are some regular sets there, but only 1 cameo set.
