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20 Cents / 1 Franc - Christian IX
| Issuer | Danish West Indies |
|---|---|
| Year | 1905 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Central device depicts three draped female figures standing in a group, classically rendered in neoclassical style, representing the three main islands of the Danish West Indies (Saint Croix, Saint Thomas, and Saint John). The central figure faces forward while the two flanking figures turn inward toward her; all three are partially draped in flowing robes. The engraver's initials G.I. appear at lower left within the inner field. A horizontal baseline separates the figures from the lower exergue, which contains the mint mark (a heart symbol), the date 1905, and the mintmaster's initial P. The circular legend reads 1 FRANC • DANSK VESTINDIEN • 20 CENTS around the upper and lateral periphery. |
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| Reverse lettering | 1 FRANC • DANSK VESTINDIEN • 20 CENTS G.I. ❤ 1905 P. (Translation: Danish West Indies 1 franc 20 cents) |
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| Additional information |
The dual denomination on this coin — 20 cents and 1 franc simultaneously — reflects the awkward monetary reality of the Danish West Indies, where U.S. dollars, Danish krone, and French francs all circulated in practice. Denmark had been trying to offload the islands since at least 1867, when a U.S. purchase treaty was ratified by the Senate but killed by the Danish upper house. By 1905, a second serious negotiation was already underway, which would eventually conclude in the 1917 sale to the United States for $25 million in gold.