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.
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.