Unique Isle of Man Coins
This island Crown Dependency has nurtured a low level of personal and corporate taxation for its residents, which has led to the Isle of Man becoming a vibrantly successful centre of banking and finance. Due to this, it is very appropriate that the Isle of Man can and should issue its own domestic currency, which is called the Manx Pound. The Manx Pound is the equivalent to the UK Pound Sterling in value.
The obverse, or "head" side of each Isle of Man coin features a depiction of Her Majesty the Queen. On the reverse sides of the coins are various depictions of images of the arrival, establishment and growth of the Christian faith on the Isle of Man. This is especially fitting as this is the first decade of a new millennium.
£5 - Five Pounds Coin
Archibald Knox, who is known as one of the Island's most well-loved and respected artists, was inspired by the beloved old prayer, 'Deer's Cry,' also known as 'St. Patrick's Hymn,' into the creation of an amazing volume with intricate illuminated lettering. This example shows Knox's profound religious faith and provides a unique representation of the artist himself.
£2 - Two Pounds Coin
This coin's design was gleaned from a cross dated in the 900's AD, and is a depiction of a belted male figure bearing a book and cross whist trampling upon a snake, all beside the ancient Christian ichthys ("fish" in Greek). On the opposite side of the coin is the Norse god Odin being eaten by Fenrir the wolf at the apocalyptic Battle of Ragnarok. The design seems to depict the waning of Pagan belief systems in the face of Christianity's arrival.
£1 - One Pound Coin
The Isle of Man's symbol, the Triskelion, is depicted with three bells, which symbolise church bells, with an inscription stating, "Millennium Bells."
50p - Fifty Pence Coin
This Isle of Man coin bears one of the most distinctive Manx Celtic carvings from the pre-Nordic period of history. On the front is a piece of an altar. This coin was found on the Calf of Man in the year of 1773 and was bought for the Manx Museum in 1956.
20p - Twenty Pence Coin
This coin has a depiction of Rushen Abbey, which is the most prominent and important medieval religious edifice in the Isle of Man. Rushen Abbey was the location of a well-developed monastery and was where many of the most significant historical documents about the Isle of Man's medieval and pre-Christian history were discovered. When the Abbey was dissolved in the 1500's its valuable materials, such as lead sealant from the roofing and window glass, were removed.
10p - Ten Pence Coin
St. Patrick's Isle is the site of the St. German cathedral, an imposing structure which was constructed in the 1200's. St. German fell to ruin after the Protestant Restoration. When plans were made in the mid-1800's to restore the cathedral the powerful churchmen in the capital of Douglas vetoed the intentions, stating that St. German's site was not suitable for building a cathedral.
10p - Ten Pence Coin
St. Patrick's Isle is the site of the St. German cathedral, an imposing structure which was constructed in the 1200's. St. German fell to ruin after the Protestant Restoration. When plans were made in the mid-1800's to restore the cathedral the powerful churchmen in the capital of Douglas vetoed the intentions, stating that St. German's site was not suitable for building a cathedral.
5p - Five Pence Coin
The Scandinavian sculptor and artist, Gaut, designed the distinctive depiction of a cross's head. The ornate design is a typically Manx design, since this kind of styling is found only in the Isle of Man.
2p - Two Pence Coin
This coin features a Manx fishing vessel from the mid-1800's, known as a 'lugger,' for its large sail, sailing through rough waters. The lugger was a boat used for fishing for herring, which has always been a vital part of the Manx economy. The 1881 census of the Isle of Manx determined that out of a Manx population of more than 53,000, more than 13,000 were involved in some way in the herring fishery industry. Also inscribed on this coin is the phrase, 'Clasht Rooin, O Hiarn,' which is the first line of the Manx Fisherman's Evening Hymn. The phrase means, 'Hear us, O'Lord,' in Manx Gaelic.
1p - One Penny
When the first Christian missionaries landed on the Isle of Man they constructed tiny chapels, called Keeils, on the sites of burial grounds. The priests would pray on the keeils, but they conducted services and baptisms outside. A total of 174 of these chapels have been found, and 35 of them are still identifiable today.
The Isle of Man has issued some of the boldest and most innovative commemorative coins in the world. The Island produced the very first pound coin for circulation, the unique fifty pence edge-lettered coins, the uniquely-finished Penny Black Crown, the first platinum bullion piece known as the Noble, and the first actual Euro coin. Manx coinage has gotten the most renown and highest honors on numerous occasions, among them Coin of the Year, the Angel was designated as Best Gold Coin in 1984, and for the Best Crown, the Most Popular Coin, and the Most Innovative Coinage Concept distinctions.
Gold Angel
Angel coins have been believed to ward off evil and sickness whilst bringing good fortune to the person bearing it since medieval ages. The Manx Angel coin is a very collectible 24-karat gold coin which shows a graphic depiction of good triumphing over evil, picturing St. Michael victorious over the Devil, symbolized by a Serpent.
Platinum Noble
The Nobile was the first platinum bullion coin to be designated as legal tender in more than 150 years. The last platinum legal tender coin was the platinum Ruble from Tzarist Russia in the early 1800's. The Viking-emblazoned Noble contains an ounce of fine-grade platinum, and permits the private coin collector and investor to hold onto platinum in an easily-traded form and whose value is easy to monitor.
"Year of the Dragon" Crown
This coin is a part of a series of Crown coins which celebrate the Chinese New Year. 2000 was the Year of the Dragon, and so this coin is emblazoned with a rampant Chinese-inspired dragon. People who can claim being born in Dragon years are said to be highly intelligent and verbally eloquent, but need to take care against indulgence of their tendency to argue. Some famous examples of people born in the Year of the Dragon are John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Prince Edward and Sigmund Freud.
"Cat" Crown
This series of coins has been extremely popular since its introduction in 1988 with the design of a Manx Cat. Each subsequent coin issued is eagerly anticipated by coin collectors. The Birman and British Blue cat breeds were depicted in the 1998 and 1999 releases respectively. The 2000 is the Scottish Fold kitten.
"Millennium" Crowns
A series of 16 collector's Crowns depicting historically-significant events in the past 2000 years was released from 1997 to 2001. The first coin commemorated the Birth of Jesus Christ as sculpted by the Renaissance artist Donatello in the "Cellini Madonna." The series continued with the Fall of the Roman Empire, the artistic and cultural revival known as the Renaissance, the French and Russian Revolutionary Wars, as well as a modern space centre to announce the birth of the 21st Century.
"Battle of Britain" Crowns
The Battle of Britain took place during the months of July through November in 1940, during the Second World War. This was the largest air battle which has ever been fought to date, and took place entirely in the skies above Britain between Nazi and other Axis forces and Britain and her Allies. The 60th anniversary of this historic event has been memorialized by the Manx Treasury in its depiction of a montage of aircraft, consisting of two Spitfires, a Heinkel bomber formation, searchlights, barrage balloons and a Nazi Messerschmitt ME109.
All Crown coins are available in either gold, silver or cupro-nickel blend. Further information on these and other Isle of Man coins may be obtained from PobJoy Mint Ltd, www.pobjoy.com, that is the authorised mint for the Isle of Man Government.
