10 Dollars Independence

Bahamian independence arrived on July 10, 1973, ending over three centuries of British colonial rule. This gold issue was part of a commemorative set released that same year — a deliberate first act of numismatic identity for the new nation. The .750 fineness is notably lower than the standard .900 gold used in most contemporaneous Commonwealth issues, a cost-conscious choice for a small island economy establishing its first sovereign coinage program.