The Coins And Banknotes Of Fiji!

Ten Cents 1969 - 2014


Ten cents obverse 1969 - 2014

The ten cents was one of the pivotal denominations of Fijian coinage and was widely used through all periods. It resumed from where the old shilling left off.

The coins saw 3 major types. The oldest was the copper nickel coin issued between 1969 and 1987. It was 5.65 grams and 23.4mm in size. In 1990 the metal was changed to Nickel plated steel, and the weight dropped to 4.76 grams yet the same diameter.

In 2009 the great recoinage saw the dimensions of the coin reduced further, with the size declining slightly to 21.4mm and the weight down to 3.45grams. In 2012 the Queen was replaced with the Fijian flying fox (Beka mirimiri) a very rare bat/ glider like creature only found on the island of Taveuni (Draveuni in some dialects).


Cupronickel 10 cent coins 1969 to 1987.

No less than 13 dates were issued between 1969 and 1987 with a very high mintage of 3.5 million in 1969, after this coins came out in 1973 and then every year from 1975 to 1982, plus 1985. The 1970s mintages are very low with a very low 240k in 1977 (Mine is AU/UNC).

Numbers in the early 80s rose slightly with the mythological 1983/84 coins. The 1986 and 1987 saw low mintages of just 700k or so, same with 1985.

Things would change in the 1990s.


1990s and modern 10 cent coins

In 1990 the steel coins came out, same size but lighter. Numbers minted were just crazy with apparently 31.6 million in 1992 (Thats like 40 a Fijian and I doubt this figure) Other years were 736k to 2 million per year in 1990 and every year 1994 to 2000 again with a modified effigy in 2006. I have all of them except the 2000 and 2006 coins, but I have the scarce 1995 coin.

In 2009 the coin was reduced in size again and there was issuings of this type in 2009 and 2010. Both dates seem common, yet like 2006 no official mintage figures exist.



These images show the relatively trivial size reductions.

In 2012, with the Queen getting the boot, the Fijian Flying Fox became the animal on the coin.


Flying fox design on post 2012 coins

There were coins of this type minted in 2012, 13 and 14 and yet I have only 2012, the Numista catalogue shows that numbers of 2013 and 2014 coins are very low (1% compared to 14% for 2012), so again I doubt these really exist outside the sets.

Compared to the 5 cents, the 10 cent coins saw lower mintages (I doubt 32 million 10 cents were actually issued in 1992, more likely 3.16 million were) and many of the dates are low mintages (Under 1 million). It's a collectible coin too.

Next the 20 cents coin.

That answers that question and that coin is very nice too.

The 1999 5 cent coin I have for you is Fijian, but I am sure I can find you a Kiwi one too. I should be finished the coins by the middle of the week!

I have a 2013-dated 10c, too. But no 2014-dated.

I own a complete Dansco album of the pre decimal Fiji coins. I'll see if I can scan and post it here

Twenty Cents 1969 - 2014 Part Two

The second phase of coins started in 1986 with the Maklouf effigy. Again mintages of these coins were low with just 360k of each in 1986 and 1987.


20 cent coins 1986 to 2003, I am missing 1995, 2000 and 2006

Unlike other denominations, the change to stainless steel did not mean higher numbers, no coin in this era excusing the 2003 one was over 1 million examples. Given the inflation by this time and Fiji's population growth (450k in 1970 vs 800k by 1995) the slight increase would be expected in coin numbers. Of course by now we had the 50 cent coin and the $1 in 1995.

1990 saw 1.5 million coins, but most years saw 1 million coins and the years 1995 and 1997 saw extremely low mintages of just 200k and 153k. On the plus side, coins were minted every year from 1994 to 2000.

In 2003 was the South Pacific Games 20 cents, the only coin before 2012 to have a different tails and this coin was minted out of Cupro nickel and not steel. It also weighed 11.24 grams slightly less than old pre 1990 coins. The design was quite basic, but popular as 1.54 million were minted.

Again the 2006 onwards coins have no released mintage figures and the design was modified to low relief and looks similar to post 2009 coins. I don't have one.


The new reduced size 20 cent pieces of 2009 onwards

Compared to the 10 cents and 5 cents, the reduction in size of the 20 cents piece was immense. It was 5mm smaller in size and weighed just 4.6 grams or 42% of the old stainless steel coin and 39% of the cupro nickel one. A more drastic reduction was only found on the NZ 20 cent piece (Another shrunken coin for you J Buck!)


The size differential

2009 and 2010 saw huge mintages (How huge I don't know, but when you are replacing a series of coins - it must be millions and probably less in 2010).


The new design the Kandavu Shining Parrot

As with the other coins, the 20 cents lost the Queen in 2012 and another endangered animal the Kandavu Shining Parrot took over (Kaka in Fijian - Kaka is also the Maori word for a parrot). This parrot like the flying fox is only found on a small island or two in Fiji.

Again the theme was 2 birds, 2 fish and 2 faunal animals on the 6 nature coins. This was the first bird.

5c - Rabbit faced Parrotfish (Fish - Reef)
10c - Flying Fox (Mammal)
20c - Kandavu Shining Parrot (Bird - Forest)
50c - Wrasse (Fish - Pelagic)
$1 - Fijian Banded Iguana (Reptile)
$2 - Peregrine Falcon (Bird - Predatory)

Numbers of this coin were high in 2012 obviously and 2013 coins were also minted, yet I don't have one and suspect numbers minted were low. No coins have been listed as minted since 2013 making the 20 cents the coin the longest time since a new one has been minted!

Next the 50 cent coin, as a warning I am missing a lot more dates of this type.

Unfortunately, it seems that the Reserve Bank of Fiji has not reported mintage numbers for some time, except for some recent circulation commemorative coins.
But the RBF does report the value of coins by denomination in its annual reports. So, I did a little math (hopefully correct ) and I have come up with these numbers for coins in circulation (in Million) according to the last annual report:

5c: 102
10c: 55
20c: 39,5
50c: 19,4
$1: 16,9
$: 2: 9,5

Fifty cents (Coin 1975 - 2017) Part 1

The fifty cent coin was the first to be introduced via inflation in 1975 and unlike all the coins shown so far, my collection of them is much more limited, especially with the earlies.



The 50 cent coin design, a Camakau sailing craft

The coin is a huge 12 sided thing of similar size and shape to the Australian 50 cent piece issued from 1969. The Fijian version was introduced in 1975, similar design to the One shilling coin below.


The one shilling design boat from 1934 - 1965

However the Fijian boat design on the 50 cent coin was buy Ken Payne rather than Percy Metcalfe.

The coin had a big first year mintage of 1 million coins in 1975 and it replaced the old 50 cent note.


1975 - 1982 50 cent coins

After 1976's 805k mintages of the coins plummet, there was just 6k in 1978 which must be the lowest for any circulating coin (Does anybody have one). Also there were a few Australian mules and 1979 only saw a one off design celebrating Sugar cane and the 100 years of Indian Migration to Fiji. A modest 264k of these were minted.

Regualr minting resumed in 1980 with 300k standard coins and another commemorative for Fiji's 10th independence anniversary, this coin featured Prince Charles and only 10k were minted, it is not really considered a circulation piece.

1981 saw a decent 511k and a full million more coins came out in 1982. Again we have the high mythological minting in 1983/84 (3 and 5 million). No 50 cents were minted for 1985, a year in which most denominations were minted. Looking online it seems that year sets were minted in Singapore and 1983 Proof sets are quite common though.

1986 and 1987 saw a change to Maklouf effigy coins, but at 160k each year I have neither (Steve, Ralf, Rob and GX here is your chance - bula these coins!).