KEELING-COCOS ISLANDS 5 dollars 2004
$25.00
KEELING-COCOS ISLANDS, fantasy, 2004, Obverse: palm tree on beach, COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS TERRITORY, Reverse: shark R, GREAT WHITE SHARK FIVE DOLLARS, bimetal: brass and nickel-steel, 28.5mm, Unc
Out of stock
Description
The original set of ivory colored plastic tokens were issued in 1913 and circulated until 1955. The 1967 tokens were apparently for some kind of office use. Subsequent issues, like this one, are fantasies.
The Keeling Cocos islands came into the Clunies-Ross family in the mid-19th century. At one point they tried to make themselves a kingdom, but became a British Protectorate by mistake, then were made a territory of Australia.
If someone produces a thing that says it’s a coin but the country doesn’t exist, or some part of it is non-standard, we tend to call that a “fantasy.” Like a “coin” from Atlantis. Jewelry coins are jewelry bits made to look like coins. That is different from taking real coins and making them into jewelry.
The word “exonumia” is used to describe all kinds of things that are “like” coins but are not coins. I wrote a blog post on that subject. Basic categories: 1. used like a coin but not issued by a national government, 2. looks like a coin but not made for spending, 3. other things that we are interested in.
