5 Cents - Elizabeth II Bonito Fish

The British Virgin Islands adopted its own coinage in 1973, two years after the territory was granted a new constitution that formalized its separation from the broader Leeward Islands administration. The fish-themed series that followed was a deliberate departure from the portrait-and-shield conventions of most British dependent territories — the government specifically wanted coinage that reflected the marine economy rather than colonial heraldry.

KM#43 is part of a long-running issue that saw relatively light circulation pressure given the territory's small population and heavy reliance on the US dollar for everyday transactions.