Catalog
100 Dollars Sailing Ships
| Issuer | Government of Antigua & Barbuda |
|---|---|
| Year | 1981 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Other (.999 Fine Silver against 23K Gold Foil) |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | The central vignette presents a bold-relief intaglio rendering in .999 fine silver of the buccaneer Pierre LeGrand boarding and capturing the Vice-Admiral's ship, a large square-rigged galleon rendered in fine detail amid open seas. Floral and foliate columns frame the left and right borders, with denomination numerals "100" in each corner cartouche. The issuer legend arches across the top within a banner, and the denomination in words runs along the lower border flanked by ornamental scrollwork, all executed against a 23K gold foil ground. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | GOVERNMENT OF ANTIGUA & BARBUDA 23K PIERRE LEGRAND CAPTURES VICE-ADMIRAL'S SHIP ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS 100 |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Log in to see details |
| Protection description | Log in to see details |
| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
Antigua and Barbuda gained full independence on 1 November 1981, and this note was issued to mark that event — making it a commemorative from the very first year of the country's existence as a sovereign state. Alan D'Estrehan's involvement places it within the small community of Caribbean artists commissioned for independence-era numismatic issues during this period.
The .999 fine silver composition bonded against 23-karat gold foil is the technically interesting element here. These hybrid metallic notes were produced in limited runs for the collector market and were never intended for circulation — survival rates are high relative to issue quantity, which keeps values modest despite the precious metal content.