The United States Manila Mint, Complete
1920 - Culion Leper Colony - 1 Peso (Mintage: 4,000)


Obverse
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Reverse
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Coin Details

  

Set Details
Coin Description:
Grade: NGC XF Details
Grade Comment: MOUNT REMOVED
Owner: JAA
 
Set Category: Thematic & Topical Coins
Set Name: The United States Manila Mint, Complete
Slot Name: 1920 - Culion Leper Colony - 1 Peso (Mintage: 4,000)
Research: See NGC's Census Report for this Coin

Owner's Description

In 1906 the Bureau of Health for the U.S. Territory of the Philippines established a colony for leper patients on the small island of Culion in the China Sea. For health reasons, the decision was made that the leper colony should have a separate coinage of its own which would not circulate in the rest of the Philippines. One of the fascinating features of the monetary system in the leper colony was the strict regulations which separated the circulation of government coinage and the special "Leper Coins". In the colony proper "Leper Money" was the only legal medium of exchange. Government coinage was not allowed within the colony and non-lepers that did business in the colony had to exchange their "Government Money" for "Leper Money" before they entered the colony. When they exited the colony they exchanged their "Leper Money" for "Government Money". In this way "Leper Money" only circulated within the colony. The police strictly enforced these regulations and violators were subject to a fine of not more than Fifteen Pesos, imprisonment of up to one month or both. The First Issue of Culion Leper coins was struck by the firm of Frank and Company, Manila in 1913. In 1920 the newly opened U.S. Manila Mint took over production of Culion Leper Colony coinage. The 1920 Culion Leper Colony issue consisted of Ten Centavos, Twenty Centavos, and One Peso coins, all of which were struck in aluminum. The obverse design of the 1920 Cullion Leper Colony "10 Centavos" consists of a caduceus, the words "BUREAU OF HEALTH" and the date "1920". The reverse has the denomination "10 CENTAVOS" and the words "CULION LEPER COLONY - PHILIPPINE ISLANDS". The 1920 "10 Centavos" carried no mint mark. The aluminum Culion Leper Colony coins proved totally unsatisfactory due to rapid deterioration from the climatic conditions in the Philippines and the chemical disinfect (mercuric bichloride) used to disinfect leper colony money. Starting in 1922 all Leper Colony coinage would be struck in copper-nickel. SPECIFICATIONS: Mint: U.S. Manila Mint Mint Mark: None Mintage: 20,000 Catalog: KM-9 Composition: Aluminum Diameter: 29.8mm

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