The Coins And Banknotes Of Fiji!

Priorities!

Enjoy your holiday!


Very nice!

Two cents (Done before I went on holiday back in June 23)



The second lowest coin was also the only other one to be demonitised in 2008. Unlike the 1 cent, numbers issued were never as high and there are less dates to collect.

Also the Banana fan design was the only one used on this coin from 1969 to 2005.

Coins dated 1983, 84 and 2002/5 were apparently minted and issued, but none have survived and unlike the 1 cent coin, the 2001 was the last year in common use.


The early coins with Arnold Machin's effigy. I have all the dates except the very scarce 1979 coin (Just 500k issued).

1969 again saw a huge first year mintage of 8 million coins and 10k proof examples. Again no more were minted until 1973 when 2 million more were minted. Low mintages of 1 to 1.5 million were minted each year from 1975 to 1979 except the low mintage of 1979.

Bigger mintages of 3.25 to 4 million per year followed in the early 80s. 1983 and 1984 produced 7 million mythological coins (Meaning no one has actually seen one Finally in 1985 1.7 million more were issued.


Later 2 cent coins with 1986/87 coins separated, all with Maklouf effigy


1986 and 1987 also saw 1.7 million pieces issued each year. These coins were like the earlier ones being bronze.

Again 1990 the coin was reissued in Copper plated steel, but unlike the 1 cent, just a few dates were issued. 1990, 92, 94, 95 and 2001. There was a 6 year gap between 1995 and 2001! Coins were issued too between 2002 and 2005 - but basically they don't exist (Early 2000s large size Fijian coins are an oddity).

Mintages of the 1990s steel coins were high with a phenomenal 10 million in 1992 (that year saw a crazy 31.6 million 10 cent coins issued too!)

2001 the last year saw just 2.83 million. In all you would expect more given that 2 of these coins can be given out in regular change compared to the 1 cent and 5 cent.

In all the 2 cent saw a short reign in Fijian coinage and given it was a low value coin, not much missed. The plus side is most of mine are in nice shape.

Next we deal with the first coin to last right through - the 5 cents coin!

Fantastic travel treasures!

The 5 cent coin 1969 - now


3 main types, Standard design - FAO fish 1995 and 2012 - 2014 Lali/Foxface Rabbitfish design


The 5 cent is the first coin we reach that is still minted. Compared to the 1c and 2c this coin is more interesting and presents the first real challenges in collecting a series.

The coins to 1987 are all cupronickel and weigh 2.81 grams each, 1990 onwards coins are all Stainless steel and weigh less at 2.34grams each! The size of the coin is a constant 19.41 - 19.50mm.


Cupronickel coins of 1969 - 1982.

I have all of the dates here through to 1982. Coins dated 1983 and 1984 were apparently minted, but apart from the ones in the annual sets, I have not seen one in the wild. It seems 1982 is the last year of this type. None were minted properly or allegedly in 1985.

The 1969 initial issue was high with 8 million coins, and then coins were issued again in 1973, every year through to and including 1982.

Some of these have very low mintages like 600 and 608k in 1973/1974 and under 1 million each for 1978/1979. Again 1980 and 1982 have slightly higher mintages of 2 - 3 million and other years with 1 million or so. Most of mine are in nice condition. Had 1983/84 coins come about their mintages of 3 and 5 million would be closer to 1969's than any other year.



Coins of 1986 to 2000, the 1998 and 1999 are around wrong way

The 1986 and 1987 coins again used the Maklouf effigy but kept the Cupronickel composition. This changed to lighter and cheaper steel in 1990. Mintages of 1986/87 coins were low at 1.2 million each, but a big 4 million coins came out in 1990 and 7.7 million in 1992. 1994 saw a low mintage of 500k and the 1995 FAO Fish design the lowest at 300k. Then we have the 3 million coins a piece for 1998 to 2000 and 4 million in 1997.

There was also a coin of this type issued in 2006, I have seen pictures of it, but don't have one and are not sure if its really circulating or not. Numista suggests it is and the relief on this coin is lower than others.
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces949.html
Mintage figures for 2006 - 2014 coins are not released yet but likely high as 5 cents is the lowest change coin in use.



The latest coins 2009 - 2014

The great Fijian Recoinage of 2009 affected the 5 cents the least, as the new coins were the same metal and size as the old ones (The 10c to $1 were all shrunk in size or weight).

However the rim appears thicker on 2009/2010 coins and the lettering on the Queen side is thinner and less detailed than the 1990s coins. Judging by numbers, a huge mintage came out in 2009 and less in 2010.
Lettering of the word cents is thicker yet lower relief and generally looks like a more modern but cheaper produced coin.


Nuqa roro - Foxface Rabbitfish (Nemo like)

In 2012 with the Fijians being booted from the Commonwealth, the Queen's portrait disappeared to be replaced by the Foxface Rabbitfish (Nemo like) and the other side had the word "Lali" added above the drum (Formerly Tali). So far these coins have been issued 2012, 2013 and 2014. I have all.

In 2012 a beautiful set of 6 coloured proofs of these coins from 5 cents through to the new $2 coin were issued and these are scarce.

No 5 cent coins have been issued since 2014.

My group are all in very nice condition, but many 5 cent coins from Fiji, especially old ones are quite battered.


The only time they will mingle!

PS: Steve, now is the time to post your 2006 5 cent coin and possibly a 1983/84 if you have it

Oh, I didn't know about 2014. (Or I had totally forgotten about it.)
This means I still need one for my collection.

I would love to go back there again.




Thanks PrinceTane, that would be much appreciated.


Steve :)