Catalog
100 Dollars Sailing Ships
| Issuer | Government of Antigua & Barbuda |
|---|---|
| Year | 1981 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 100 Dollars |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central vignette in high-relief .999 fine silver presents a detailed intaglio-style rendering of Black Bart's Royal Fortune, the three-masted ship of the pirate Bartholomew Roberts, under full sail on open seas, set against a 23-karat gold foil ground. Floral and foliate pillar ornaments flank the vignette on left and right, with denomination counters in each corner. The legend "GOVERNMENT OF ANTIGUA & BARBUDA" arches across the top panel, with "23K" and "Black Bart's Royal Fortune" inscribed to the left and right of the central image respectively, and "ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS" in bold relief along the lower border. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse, struck entirely in 23-karat gold foil relief, carries a central panoramic vignette of a turbulent seascape with rolling waves and a rocky coastline. An oval medallion at lower left bears the coat of arms of Antigua and Barbuda, while a circular portrait medallion at lower right presents a female effigy in cameo style. Denomination counters reading "100" appear in all four corners, with "GOVERNMENT OF ANTIGUA & BARBUDA" and "INDEPENDENCE NOVEMBER 1981" inscribed across the top, "MINISTRY OF FINANCE" at lower centre, and "ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS" along the bottom border. |
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| Comments |
This note was issued as part of a broader Caribbean legal tender commemorative program in 1981, when several newly independent Eastern Caribbean states released high-specification collector pieces tied to their sovereignty. Antigua and Barbuda had only achieved full independence in November 1981, making this issue effectively coincident with statehood itself — a piece of fiscal theater as much as monetary instrument. It was never intended for circulation.
The .999 fine silver substrate backed by 23-karat gold foil was a deliberate prestige production choice, unusual for a denomination that would otherwise never survive a day in a wallet. Alan D'Estrehan's involvement suggests a design commission rather than an in-house production.