Bermudian Pound - Coins

Coins

The first Bermudian currency issue was the so-called "hogge money", 2, 3 and 6 pence, and 1 shilling coins issued between 1612 and 1624. Their name derives from the appearance of a pig on the obverse. At this time, Bermuda was known as Somers Island (which is still an official name) and this name appears on the coins. The next coins to be issued were copper pennies in 1793. When Bermuda adopted the sterling currency system in the first half of the nineteenth century, the coinage that circulated was exactly the same coinage that circulated in the United Kingdom. No special varieties of the sterling coinage were ever issued for general use in Bermuda. However, special silver 1 crown (five shillings) coins were issued in 1959 and again in 1964. These commemoratives were similar in appearance to the British crown coins, but featured Bermudian designs on their reverses. The first issue has a map of the islands to mark their 350th anniversary of settlement. The second coin shows the islands' coat of arms. Because of the rising price of precious metals, the 1964 issue is somewhat smaller in diameter and the silver content was dropped from 92.5% to 50%. Their respective mintages were 100,000 and 500,000 (30,000 of the latter being issued in proof). Both coins remain readily available to collectors.