Hobbyists looking for a challenge in their collecting pursuits may want to consider putting together a collection of coins from some of the smallest nations in the world.
Coins from such far-flung places as the Vatican and Tuvalu do not have mintages anywhere close to U.S. coins, and the lack of proximity to American collectors adds to the challenge. Collectors that choose this collecting path could well be rewarded with interesting coinage (and paper money) designs, and an education about the world's smallest places, without the hassle and cost of airplane travel.
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SEA LIFE IS FEATURED on this 1976 coin from Tuvalu. A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, the queen of Tuvalu, is on the obverse.
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However, right away you're going to have to make a decision: Will small be based on population or square miles of land surface?
For the purposes of this story, we've used a mixture of population and physical size. Some of these countries may use other nations' currency for their daily commerce needs. However, noncirculating legal tender issues are known for each of these nations. We'll discuss both commemorative and circulating coins, because collectors have their favorites.
We selected eight of the world's smallest nations, with small defined as having less than 200 square miles within its borders.
You can find a variety of design options to build your collection. Some designs reflect the culture of the country, or its flora and fauna or, sometimes, a moment in its history.
Now let us begin our world tour.
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A SCHOOL OF FISH swim near coral on the reverse of a 50-rupee coin the Republic of Seychelles issued in 1978. Swordfish and sailfish on the other side surround the nation's coat of arms.
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Vatican City
The state of Vatican City is the smallest in square mileage with 0.17 square mile to its credit. It has approximately 900 residents. It comprises the Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica and more than a dozen other buildings in Rome.
This smallest of the small nations has a long history of issuing coins. Recently, its coins have been prominently in the news with the death of Pope John Paul II and the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI.
Vatican City coinage has the same physical specifications as Italian coinage and the same denominations. The Vatican's coinage was denominated in lira until the Jan. 1, 2002, adoption of the euro denomination; it has borne euro denominations since. Italy allows the Vatican to issue a small number of coins denominated in the Italian denominations, and in recent years, swarms of people have fought and scuffled for the chance to be among the few purchasing collector sets of those coins.
Tuvalu
Tuvalu is a group of islands consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean about halfway between Hawaii and Australia. The nation has approximately 11,000 people living on its nine square miles of land. The small island, under British rule until 1978, still features a bust of Queen Elizabeth II on one side of its coins as she is considered queen of Tuvalu.
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SALT MINING was at one time a major contributor to the Turks and Caicos Islands economy. No longer a factor, the reverse of this 1981 half crown is a reminder of the once-flourishing industry.
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This nation has struck coins to honor the British monarchy, Olympic sports and the diverse life found in the ocean.
One such series of coins shows an octopus, turtle, fish and other creatures of the sea. Can't afford a seaside vacation this year? Consider a Tuvalu ocean-theme coin instead to get the feel of the sea without the sand.
Republic of Seychelles
The Republic of Seychelles is a group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar. Its land mass comes to 107 square miles (about two and a half times the size of Washington, D.C.) and boasts a population of about 80,000 people.
Coins from this nation, under British rule until 1976, may feature some of the most exotic details. For example, a school of fish is shown on one side of a 50-rupee coin from 1978.
San Marino
San Marino, or as it's officially known, the Republic of San Marino, is a tiny nation, with about 24 square miles of rugged mountain terrain, surrounded by Italy.
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ISLAND LIFE in Seychelles is depicted on a 5-rupee coin from 1972.
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It's the third smallest independent state in Europe after the Vatican and Monaco. It boasts approximately 27,000 citizens. Before the euro, it used the Italian lira in its daily commerce. It also mints its own noncirculating legal tender coins.
One such example is a 1992 coin that marks the 400th anniversary of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus' sailing to the New World. More recently, the nation has issued 2004 coins (denominated in euros) celebrating the 2006 World Cup soccer (football) tournament, to be held in Germany.
Monaco
Monaco is located in Western Europe bordering the Mediterranean Sea with the southern coast of France behind it and the border of Italy nearby to the northeast.
The hilly, rugged and rocky nation comprises a total of 0.7 square mile - about three times the size of the Mall in Washington, D.C. It has approximately 33,000 people.
In 1982, probably one of the most significant events in modern-day Monaco occurred - the death of Monaco's beloved Princess Grace. Many described the former actress Grace Kelly as a fairytale princess when she and Monaco's Prince Rainier III were married April 18, 1956. They met at the Cannes Film Festival in 1955.
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EXPLORER Christopher Columbus appears on a 1992 200-lira coin of San Marino.
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Many medals were struck honoring her marriage and later her death. She died at the age of 52 from injuries received in a car accident in Monaco on Sept. 13, 1982. A gold 10-franc coin was struck in her memory that same year featuring her portrait on one side and a single rose on the other.
Prince Rainier reigned until his April 6 death, and died as the longest-serving monarch in Europe. A 100-franc coin marked the prince's 50th year as head of Monaco in 1999.
Marshall Islands
The Marshall Islands, located in the North Pacific Ocean, is a group of atolls and reefs about halfway between Hawaii and Papua New Guinea. It has a total of 70 square miles with a population of approximately 65,000. The islands include the atolls of Bikini and Enewetak, which were former U.S. nuclear test sites, and Kwajalein, now used as a U.S. missile test range.
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MONACO MARKED the 50th anniversary of the reign of Prince Rainier in 1999 with this silver Uncirculated 100-franc coin. Image courtesy of www.eurocollections.com.
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These islands are a sovereign nation in free association with the United States under a compact signed in 1986. The people of Marshall Islands use U.S. coins and paper money for their daily commerce needs. The nation does not have its own currency and has no exchange rate with the U.S. dollar for its noncirculating legal tender commemorative coins. Many such coins, struck for the Marshall Islands and other nations, show up in the inventory of dealers.
Republic of Maldives
The Republic of Maldives, an archipelago of 2,000 coral islets in the northern Indian Ocean, is west of Sri Lanka at the southernmost tip of India.
It became an independent republic in 1968. It has a total of 115 square miles and is populated by approximately 270,000 people.
A crustacean is depicted on one side of a 5-rufiyaa coin issued in 1978 by the Republic of Maldives, possibly as part of an ongoing United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organization commemorative program.
Maldives bank notes, including the 1998 5-rufiyaa note and a 1990 2-rufiyaa note, feature some of the ships that ply the Indian Ocean waters around the archipelago.
Andorra
Andorra is in southwestern Europe between France and Spain. It governs 180 square miles - that translates to about two and a half times the size of Washington, D.C. Its population is a little more than 72,000 people. In daily commerce, citizens use French and Spanish currencies.
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MOUNTAIN GOATS indigenous to the mountains of Andorra appear on a 2002 silver 10-diner coin. The nation's shield is on the reverse. Image courtesy of www.eurocollections.com.
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However, Andorra is also known for its noncirculating legal tender coins. The obverse of a 2002 silver 10-diner coin depicts mountain goats, which inhabit the nation's mountains, and the reverse depicts the crowned shield of the nation flanked by the denomination above the date.
Other nation-states to consider when building a collection include Kiribati, Malta, Palau and Tonga, to name just a few.
Another factor in building a themed collection is whether to include overseas dependencies, like the Turks and Caicos Islands, a colony of Britain. After the Bahamas received its independence from Britain in 1962, the Bahamas oversaw the Turks and Caicos Islands, with full independence planned for 1982. The British reversed the plan for independence.
Numerous other independencies include Aruba (Netherlands) and the Cook Islands, which New Zealand oversees.
These are just a few of the many opportunities collectors have to find coins from small nations. It will take some sleuthing to determine which nation-states have issued coins and paper money.
Resources for building a collection should include an atlas (like The Encyclopedia of World Geography) and a World Factbook or almanac.
Online resources include the Web site www.banknoteworld.com, which can be searched by geography for both past and present paper money-issuing nations. Don't forget the CIA's World Factbook online, at www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/.
Check out advertisements and fixed-price lists of world coin dealers for nations that could be added to your list of small countries.
