Catalog
100 Dollars Sailing Ships
| Issuer | Government of Antigua & Barbuda |
|---|---|
| Year | 1981 |
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| Value | 100 Dollars |
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| Obverse description | Central bold-relief vignette in .999 fine silver on a 23K gold foil field presents two full-rigged sailing vessels — the pirate brig Black Joke and her prize the Morning Star — under sail on a choppy sea with a rocky coastline in the background, illustrating the final act of piracy in the West Indies perpetrated by Benito De Soto. The denomination '100' appears in ornate cartouches at each corner, flanked by vertical floral and foliate border panels in high relief, with the issuer legend arched across the top and 'ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS' along the lower border. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse is struck entirely in 23K gold foil in bold relief, with a central vignette of a seascape or coastal landscape rendered in high-relief waves and rocky terrain. The Antiguan coat of arms appears in a circular cartouche at the lower left, while a portrait medallion — likely Queen Elizabeth II — occupies the lower right corner. The denomination '100' is repeated in ornate corner cartouches, and decorative floral guilloche borders frame the composition on all sides. |
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| Comments |
Antigua and Barbuda gained full independence from Britain on 1 November 1981, and this note was issued to mark that occasion — one of the first sovereign collectible issues from the newly independent state. D'Estrehan's design was produced as a numismatic commemorative rather than a circulating banknote, which explains the precious metal construction: silver substrate with 23K gold foil application, a production method associated with Franklin Mint-style issues of that period rather than conventional security printing.
The face value of 100 dollars was nominal from the outset. No one was expected to spend it.