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 Replies: 18 / Views: 2,418 |
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Valued Member
299 Posts |
I know it's a bit bizarre. I collect coins issued for use in leper colonies. Anyone else collect these or happen to have a few ?
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Valued Member
Uruguay
217 Posts |
The Leper colonies, so-called "Lazaretos" in Spanish, were so isolated places that had their own coinage. But, does anyone know if they had any exchange value outside the colonies? Interesting to collect, coins are often difficult to find in decent circulated condition. I have a few from Colombia.   Edited by cara
03/31/2017 11:21 pm
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Moderator
 United States
34397 Posts |
Not me, but I'd love to see pics if you are willing to post some from your collection.
Edit: ok thanks! Thise are interesting.
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
Edited by Spence
03/31/2017 11:24 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1314 Posts |
Country Venezuelan provinces (Leprosarium Coinage) Years 1913-1916 Value 1/8 Bolívar (1/8) Metal Brass Diameter 16 mm Shape Round Demonetized yes References KM# L3  Maybe it's just my imagination but do they all look. cleaned? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
The Philippines under the US issued several series of coins for the Culion leper colony. I have a cupronickel Peso I will have to get an image of. They are not cheap, but generally affordable ($25-50 for most).
Japan also issued some leper issues, but I assume they are extremely rare as I have never seen one for sale at any price.
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Valued Member
United States
137 Posts |
I have two from Culion Island in the Philippines - 1 peso and 1/2 peso coins from the 1920s. I think they're a really neat conversation piece, and I picked them up for under $15 each from the auction at my local coin club, so I was pretty pleased!
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Moderator
Australia
16817 Posts |
I only have one of the Philippine ones. Quote:
But, does anyone know if they had any exchange value outside the colonies? They were only spendable within the colony, and theoretically exchangeable for regular money of that country at a 1:1 ratio, but only indirectly exchangeable. The whole point of making leprosarium coinage was to ensure that "clean" people didn't touch the same money that lepers handled; leprosarium money itself was never supposed to leave the colony. So if a patient in a leper colony wished to buy something from outside, they'd hand over their money to the colony staff - and the colony staff would then go out and buy the items with regular money. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Valued Member
Uruguay
217 Posts |
Thank you Sap, what you say makes sense at that time, it was prejudice. Maybe for that, these coins always look cleaned...as Chute72 noted.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1880 Posts |
just got these two--my first--interesting--1927(40$)-1930(35$)--   Edited by mikev50
10/30/2025 1:00 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
25101 Posts |
Excellent Culion coins, mikev! These are not common coins.
Inordinately fascinated by bits of metal with strange markings and figures
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Moderator
United States
188130 Posts |
Very nice!  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1913 Posts |
There is an online coin collector group that strives to achieve one from every country.
Their comprehensive checklist has these coins or tokens as one chooses.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
7936 Posts |
Interesting topic. Thanks to those who revived it!
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
25101 Posts |
Here are some of mine from Culion: Culion Leper Colony (Philippines) ˝ Centavo 1913 - KM#1; 17,000 minted  Culion Leper Colony (Philippines) 1 Peso 1913 - 8600 minted  Culion Leper Colony 1 Peso 1920 - 4000 minted  Culion Leper Colony (Philippines) 1 Peso 1922 - 8280 minted  Culion Leper Colony (Philippines) 1 Peso 1925 - 20,000 minted  Inordinately fascinated by bits of metal with strange markings and figures
Edited by HondoB
11/02/2025 6:35 pm
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Moderator
United States
188130 Posts |
Quote:
Here are some of mine from Culion: Nice examples! |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
73974 Posts |
Nice additions. Errers and Varietys.
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Replies: 18 / Views: 2,418 |
Posted 03/31/2017 11:15 pm
