The Pobjoy Mint has held the minting contract for the British Indian Ocean Territory since the 1990s, producing collector-focused issues for a jurisdiction with no permanent civilian population — the indigenous Chagossians having been forcibly removed by the British government between 1968 and 1973 to make way for the Diego Garcia military base. Coins issued for BIOT circulate in name only.
The loggerhead's inclusion reflects the territory's genuine ecological significance: the Chagos Archipelago hosts one of the largest marine protected areas in the world, designated in 2010 at over 540,000 square kilometers.
The Pobjoy Mint has held the minting contract for the British Indian Ocean Territory since the 1990s, producing collector-focused issues for a jurisdiction with no permanent civilian population — the indigenous Chagossians having been forcibly removed by the British government between 1968 and 1973 to make way for the Diego Garcia military base. Coins issued for BIOT circulate in name only.
The loggerhead's inclusion reflects the territory's genuine ecological significance: the Chagos Archipelago hosts one of the largest marine protected areas in the world, designated in 2010 at over 540,000 square kilometers.