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5 Cents
| Issuer | Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
|---|---|
| Year | 1977 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 18.5 mm |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A tall coconut palm tree laden with fruit leans slightly to the left over a stylized shoreline, conveying the tropical character of the islands. The denomination 5 CENTS is inscribed in two lines to the right of the palm in the central field. The circular legend KEELING-COCOS ISLANDS arcs along the upper periphery, while the date 1977 appears at the base, flanked by small five-pointed stars. |
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| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | 1977 |
| Additional information |
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands token coinage of 1977 was authorized under the Clunies-Ross family, who had governed the atoll as a private fiefdom since the early nineteenth century. John Clunies-Ross V issued these pieces as a local currency valid only on the islands, paid to Malay laborers in lieu of Australian dollars — effectively keeping wages captive to the company store he also operated. Australia had formally incorporated the territory in 1955 but left the Clunies-Ross economic monopoly intact for another two decades.
The Australian government ultimately forced the family to relinquish control in 1978, one year after this issue, rendering the series extremely short-lived.