The Coins And Banknotes Of Fiji!

Bought them, 17 more Fijian classics on their way!

I bought a total of 6 pennies and these will complete my set of Fijian pennies sans 2 coins, the fairly rare 1950 penny (They only had an UNC one that cost like $70 - I can get VF for $17, so that can wait). And more bizarrely the very common last year 1968 coin.




Here we have in date order, 1935, 1949 and 1952 on the top row. The bottom row has 1956, 1966 and 1967.

The 1935 is a VF coin and completes my KGV coins in total (I have all of them, including the rare 1935 florin coming up)

The others are higher grade, the 1949 and 1952 Pennies are semi rare, not on the level of the 1950. They complete my KGVI pennies except that 1950. Both are high grade being EF and AU coins. The 1949 was quite expensive at $25, but 1952 was much cheaper being an easier date ($8). Late KGVI coins are scarce as few were issued and none at all in 1944, 46, 47 or 48 besides the 1947 3d coin.

The last 3 are all Uncirculated which is good given how heavily used QE2 pennies were. The 1956 is a semi scarce date and a key coin with just 240k minted. The 1966 and 1967 are common at 720k each. The 1966 is by far the most lustrous of the 3 coins.

Many dates of pennies came out in the QE2 era.

A break while I get the higher value coins ready.

Many really great looking coins, Princetane

Thanks, here are the Threepences.





The 1947 first year coin was the upgrade. This replaced a blackened Fine condition coin. This one is EF with some nice lustre and a massive improvement. At $7 it was a worthwile upgrade.

The 1965 is another mint fresh coin that ticked two boxes, I did not have this date and the coin is basically brand new UNC.

Now we move into the 6d's these include 1940 and 1941. All of the Fijian silver coins issued between 1937 and 1941 are scarce to rare, they are seldom seen and very expensive. Mintages of the shillings and 6d's were just 40k per year (1937, 38, 40 and 41 - no coins were minted dated 1939), the Florins were even rarer at just 20k for each date (1937, 1938 and 1941) - no wonder they cost $200 a pop!

To put those numbers in context, the NZ 1935 3d had 40k minted and the Australian Melbourne Florin of 1934/35 was 54k and these are coins that cost in the hundreds!




1940 basic VF grade, but even in this condition, it was a $25 coin. A good date to have!




1941 described as gEF, it seems to be dull, but if you look close, George's hair strands are individually discernable, whereas in 1940 its a flat block. Nice toning to. This cost $36 and I could have bought an UNC example for $150!!

These dates are in contrast to all the 1942 and 1943 S American minted coins, which are very common and seen much more than these 1937 - 1941 ones!

Finally the Florin. Like I said the 1938 and 1941 coins got turned down due to the price ($200+)

I did buy this 1935 Florin and this coin is the rarest of any King George V coins.





The 2nd year of the series, just 50k were minted, this was well below the 120k of 1934 and even the 65k of 1936. Like my 1934 this is a high grade piece at EF and has a nice lustre and tone. I think for $40 it was well priced.

The Florin series before the common 1942 and 1943 coins are all hard to get coins with the exception of the 1934 and there was also a 1945 coin, which is not too hard either. The early King George VI coins were only 20k minted each year and are the hardest of all Fijian coins to get.

Most native Fijians had little money at the time and there was a 5/- banknote, so hence probably little demand for the 2/- denomination before WW2 brought Americans and a spending wave through.

Hope you like these coins!

Thanks, here is a chart I did showing the stats and mintage info for each of the Fijian Predecimal series!



Apologies for small size of the text, needed to fit into a screen shot.

I have only included years where coins were minted, the dashes indicate that denomination was not minted that year. the years 1939, 1944, 1946 and 1948 had no Fijian coins minted.

You can see total coins minted for each year and denomination. These DO NOT include proof coins, of which I have no information - just circulating ones.

The colour key

Lightest Grey = 90% silver coins minted in San Francisco USA in 1942 and 1943 (6d,1/- and Florin).

Next shade of Grey = 50% silver coins minted in London 1934 - 1941 and 1945 (Again 6d up only)

Dark Grey = Cupronickel coins, all Halfpennies, Pennies and post 1947 6d - Florin, except 1942 and 1943 Pennies and Halfpence.

Darker Gold = 1942 and 1943 Lower value coins minted in San Francisco brass stuff

Lighter Gold - All 3d's minted in Brass.

What a lovely bunch of coins. Thanks for sharing Princetane. :)