Uncirculated Specimen Set

Struck by the Franklin Mint

Buccaneers and explorers, adventurers and blockage runners all figure in the history of the Bahama Islands, a sunny archipelago of over 700 islands in a chain that begins just 50 miles off the Florida coast.

From this veritable paradise come some of the most beautiful coins in the modern world. The complete set comprises 9 Bahamian coins, all of them legal tender. The obverse of each of the 1971 coins bears the official portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and the title "Commonwealth of the Bahama Islands" - a change from the title on the coin of previous years, which read simply, "Bahama Islands."

Four of the coins are silver. The solid sterling silver five dollar coin is one of the largest and heaviest sterling silver coins now minted in the Western Hemisphere. It features the Bahamian coat of arms - a design that Portrays a frigate chasing pirate ships from Bahamian waters, and explains the Bahamian national motto "Expulsis Piratis Restituta Commercia" (Pirates driven out, commerce restored). The two dollar coin, also minted in sterling silver, depicts the rare and beautiful flamingoes which are native to the islands. The one dollar and fifty cent coins are of .800 fine silver and show, respectively, a colorful conch shell and a leaping blue Marlin, both of which are plentiful in the crystal clear waters of the Bahamas.

The five remaining coins each carry intricate designs that tell picture stories of the Bahamas. And, since the series includes both square and scalloped coins, this set is truly one of the most unusual and outstanding of coin of the realm collections.

$5 Sterling Coin 42.12 grams (1.2525 ASW)

$2 Sterling Coin 29.81 grams (.8866 ASW)

$1 .800 fine - 18.14 grams (.4666 ASW)

50 Cent .800 fine - 10.37 grams (.2667 ASW)