The 1974 coinage of the British Virgin Islands portrays six exotic birds that are native to the Islands.
The magnificent Frigate Bird, portrayed on the solid sterling silver one-dollar coin, has a wing-span of nearly seven feet and is one of the Island's largest birds. It is easily identified by its raked wings and hooked beak as it glides high above the ocean searching for fish.
Another coastal bird, the Brown Pelican, is shown on the fifty-cent piece. Noted for its elastic-like pouch and remarkable fishing ability, this comical-looking bird is found all along the Island's coastlines.
The twenty-five cent coin bears an illustration of perching Mangrove Cuckoos. Recognized by their distinctive song and flared tail feathers, the twelve-inch-high gray and brown birds are usually found in mangrove trees and shrubs.
The Belted Kingfisher is depicted on the ten-cent coin. It is readily recognizable for its conspicuous crest and the broad bluish-gray band across its chest, for which it is named. This migrating bird is familiar to the people of both the British Virgin Islands and the United States.
The Zendia Dove, whose white-tipped wings and tail can be seen flashing across open fields as it searches for insects, is shown on the five-cent piece.
Appropriately, the Green-Throated Carib and Antillean-crested Hummingbird, two of the Island's tiniest birds, are portrayed on the one-cent piece, the smallest coin. As they flit among the tropical flowers, these two birds delight the Islanders.
The one-dollar coin is SOLID STERLING SILVER and the one-cent coin is BRONZE. The others are cupro-nickel.
My privacy policy is simple and it's the way it should be.
I do not sell or give away your name, address, or e-mail address.
All photographs show actual item(s) unless otherwise stated in the description.
Additional high resolution pictures of any item(s) available prior to purchase.
