Cuban Convertible Peso
 
The Convertible Peso (sometimes given as CUC$ and informally called a CUC or a chavito) is one of two official currencies in Cuba, the other being the Cuban peso. It has been in limited use since 1994, when its value was pegged 1:1 to the United States Dollar.
In 1981–1989 Cuba used so-called INTUR coins and cheques. Convertible foreign currency was exchanged into these cheques rather than the national currency, which could be used to buy some luxury goods not available for purchase in the national currency. Also, from 1985, Banco Nacional de Cuba issued foreign exchange certificates of various types.
Because of the economic problems during the Special Period, the Cuban government allowed the possession of U.S. Dollars (which had previously been illegal) and began selling goods and services in U.S. Dollars, initially for tourism and for luxury items.
In 1994, they began issuing the Convertible Peso, to circulate together with the U.S. Dollar. This currency is separate from the regular Cuban Peso (CUP), which was used for staple items. The Cuban Peso (CUP) can be exchanged to the Convertible Peso (CUC) at exchange offices (CADECA) at a fixed rate. Since the early 2000s the rates have been 24 CUP to 1 CUC (sell) and 25 CUP to 1 CUC (buy); but for state bookkeeping purposes, both pesos are valued at a 1:1 rate.
On 08 November 2004, the U.S. Dollar ceased (withdrew the U.S. dollar from circulation) to be accepted in Cuban retail outlets, citing the need to retaliate against further sanctions from the Helms–Burton Act After a grace period ending on 14 November 14 2004, a 10% surcharge began to be imposed when converting U.S. Dollars into Convertible Pesos. The change was announced some weeks beforehand, and was extended by the grace period. It has been claimed that it was because the amounts of U.S. Dollars being exchanged were more than anticipated. The measure helped the Cuban government collect hard currency Therefore this action left the Convertible Peso as the only currency in circulation in many Cuban businesses. Officially exchangeable only within the country, its value was increased to US$1.08 in April 2005, but reverted to US$1.00 on 15 March 2011. The convertible peso is, by the pegged rate, the twelfth-highest-valued currency unit in the world and the highest-valued "peso" unit.
On 22 October 2013, it was announced that the currency is to be scrapped, with it being gradually unified with the lower-value Cuban Peso, though as of January 2020, that unification has not been achieved, nor has any target date been officially announced.
 
 
Currency: INTUR Peso = 100 centavos (visitor's coinage, 1981-1989).
In 1988 a coin set of 1, 5, 10 and 25 centavos (KM# 410, 413, 416 and 419 respectively) with simple Reverse side (large Numerals in the center) design were produced, only to be used by tourists from socialist countries. These type of coins were minted at Mincovňa Kremnica (Kremnica Mint), Czechoslovakia (now in Slovakia). The below listed design of coins produced during 1981-1989, were used by tourists from western countries. All such coins with "INTUR" logo were demonetized on 15 October 2001.
 
1981
 

Cuba KM#412.2 / Schön# 706.2 5 Centavos. Year: 1981. Weight: 3.52g [3.50 g]. Metal: Copper-Nickel. Diameter: 19.50 mm. Edge: Plain. Alignment: Medal. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba.

Type2: Thin Numeral "5" at the center right side on the Reverse side.

Obverse: "INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE TURISMO" (National Institute of Tourism) written in Spanish in the top section. Polymite (seashell) in the center. "• 1981 • CUBA •" written at the bottom. Reverse: Logo of the National Institute of Tourism ("INTUR") featuring a Real Palm tree in the center. Numeral "5" written at the center right side. Value "CINCO CENTAVOS" (Five Centavos) written at the bottom. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: One year type.
  • KM#412.1 Date: 1981. Thick numeral "5" at the center right side on the Reverse side.
  • KM#412.2 Date: 1981. Thin numeral "5" at the center right side on the Reverse side.
  • KM#412.3 Date: 1989. Small numeral "5" at the center right side on the Reverse side.

Polymita picta, common name the Cuban land snail or the painted snail (different colours and designs), is a species of large, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Helminthoglyptidae. This species is the type species of the genus Polymita.
This snail is endemic to Cuba. These arboreal molluscs live mainly in coastal habitats in the subtropical forest, with a preference for certain tree species including Chrysobalanus icaco, Metopium toxifera, Metopium brownei, Bursera simaruba and Coccoloba retusa.
Shells of Polymita picta can reach a length of about 20 millimetres (0.79 in). These large shells are shiny and very brightly colored. Normally they show a bright yellow color with a white stripe, but the species is well known for its colourful shell polymorphism, with numerous color varieties.
These shells are sought after by poachers and used to make jewelry and trinkets. As a result, the species has become endangered. It is a protected species since 1943 by the Cuban legislation which prohibits the export except for scientific reasons.
Polymita picta mainly feeds on lichen, moss and on fungal biofilms present on bark and leaves. The life cycle lasts about 15 months, with breeding time during the wet season (September- October). The snails become dormant in the dry season (December- beginning of May).
Like most air-breathing land snails, Polymita picta has female and male reproductive organs (hermaphroditic), it is unable to self-fertilization. Moreover similarly to other gastropods in the superfamily Helicoidea, this species uses love darts as part of its mating behavior. During the courtship these snails spear the partner with a calcareous dart.

Cuba KM#415.1 / Schön# 707.2 10 Centavos. Year: 1981. Weight: 3.96g [4.00 g]. Metal: Copper-Nickel. Diameter: 20.85 mm. Edge: Plain. Alignment: Medal. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba.

Type: "CUBA" written at the bottom on Obverse side. Large Numeral "10" (3.50 mm) at the center right side on the Reverse side.

Obverse: "INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE TURISMO" (National Institute of Tourism) written in Spanish in the top section. The bee hummingbird in the center. "• 1981 • CUBA •" written at the bottom left side. Reverse: Logo of the National Institute of Tourism ("INTUR") featuring a Real Palm tree in the center. Numerals "10" written at the center right side. Value "DIEZ CENTAVOS" (Ten Centavos) written at the bottom. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: One year type.

The bee hummingbird, zunzuncito, Zunzún or Helena hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) is a species of hummingbird which is the world's smallest bird. It is endemic to Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud. In it also known as "pájaro mosca" (fly bird), Name comes from the sound of their wings when flying.
Females weigh 2.6 g (0.092 oz) and are 6.1 cm (2.4 in) long, and are slightly larger than males, with an average weight of 1.95 g (0.069 oz) and length of 5.5 cm (2.2 in).[4] Like all hummingbirds, it is a swift, strong flier. The bee hummingbird looks rounded and plump.
The male has a green pileum and bright red throat, iridescent gorget with elongated lateral plumes, bluish upper parts, and the rest of the underparts mostly greyish white. The male is smaller than the female.
Female bee hummingbirds are bluish green with a pale gray underside. The tips of their tail feathers have white spots. During the mating season, males have a reddish to pink head, chin, and throat. The female lays only two eggs at a time, each about the size of a coffee bean.
The bee hummingbird has been reported to visit 10 plant species, nine of them native to Cuba. These flowers include Hamelia patens (Rubiaceae), Chrysobalanus icaco (Chrysobalanaceae), Pavonia paludicola (Malvaceae), Forsteronia corymbosa (Apocynaceae), Lysiloma latisiliquum (Mimosaceae), Turnera ulmifolia (Passifloraceae), Antigonon leptopus (Polygonaceae), Clerodendrum aculeatum (Verbenaceae), Tournefortia hirsutissima (Boraginaceae), and Cissus obovata (Vitaceae). They occasionally eat insects and spiders. In a typical day, bee hummingbirds will consume up to half their body weight in food.
The bee hummingbird is endemic to the entire Cuban archipelago, including the main island of Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud in the West Indies. It is found mainly in Cuba's mogote area in Pinar del Rio province in western Cuba and uncommonly in Playa Larga near Zapata Swamp.
There are about 300 species of hummingbirds in Cuba. In Cuba, they are hard to see, because they live in deep forest, and usually avoids contact with humans.

Cuba KM#420 / Schön# 709.1 50 Centavos. Year: 1981. Weight: 11.60g [11.70 g]. Metal: Copper-Nickel. Diameter: 29.50 mm. Edge: Plain. Alignment: Medal. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Type: No Numerals on the top center right side on Reverse side.

Obverse: "INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE TURISMO" (National Institute of Tourism) written in Spanish in the top section. Real Palm tree in the center. "• 1988 • CUBA •" written at the bottom left side. Reverse: Logo of the National Institute of Tourism ("INTUR") featuring a Real Palm tree in the center. Value "CINCUENTA CENTAVOS" (Fifty Centavos) written at the bottom. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: One year type.

Sabal palmetto, also known as cabbage-palm, palmetto, cabbage palmetto, blue palmetto, Carolina palmetto, common palmetto, swamp cabbage and sabal palm, is one of 15 species of palmetto palm. It is native to the southern United States, as well as Cuba, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Bahamas.
In the United States, the native range of S. palmetto is the coastal plain of the lower East Coast from southeast North Carolina southward to Florida and west along the Gulf Coastal plain to Texas.
Real palm tree is the national tree of Cuba. It is in Cuba's Coat of Arms, and in the INTUR (National Institute of Tourism) logo. This tree is very common in Cuba. The tree reaching 25/30 meters high, and even 40 meters, with leaves about 6 meters long. It is easily identified by the shape of the trunk, bulged below top, and a long vertical button on top.
The bristles on the sheaths of young leaves have been made into scrubbing brushes. The trunks have been used as wharf piles. On 28 June 1776, Charleston patriots under William Moultrie (b. 23 November 1730 – d. 27 September 1805) made a fort of palmetto trunks and from it defended successfully against the British in the Revolutionary War.

 
1988
 

Cuba KM#409 / Schön# 705 Centavo. Year: 1988. Weight: 2.92g [2.90 g]. Metal: Copper-Nickel. Diameter: 17.00 mm. Edge: Plain. Alignment: Medal. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba.
Obverse: "INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE TURISMO" (National Institute of Tourism) written in Spanish in the top section. Stylized deer in the center. "• 1988 • CUBA •" written at the bottom. Reverse: Logo of the National Institute of Tourism ("INTUR") featuring a Real Palm tree in the center. Numeral "1" written at the center right side. Value "UN CENTAVO" (One Centavo) written at the bottom. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: One year type.

The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, Ecuador, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced to New Zealand, Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, the Bahamas, the Lesser Antilles, and some countries in Europe, such as the Czech Republic, Finland, Romania, Serbia, Germany, and France. In the Americas, it is the most widely distributed wild ungulate.

 
1989
 

Cuba KM#415.2a / Schön# A707 10 Centavos. Year: 1989. Weight: 4.01g [4.00 g]. Metal: Nickel plated Steel. Diameter: 21.30 mm. Edge: Plain. Alignment: Medal. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba.

Type: Dot between Date and "CUBA" at the bottom on Obverse side. Small and close Numeral "10" at the center right side on the Reverse side.

Obverse: "INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE TURISMO" (National Institute of Tourism) written in Spanish in the top section. The bee hummingbird in the center. "• 1989 • CUBA •" written at the bottom. Reverse: Logo of the National Institute of Tourism ("INTUR") featuring a Real Palm tree in the center. Numerals "10" written at the center right side. Value "DIEZ CENTAVOS" (Ten Centavos) written at the bottom. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: One year type (actually minted in 1993).

Note: 1989 is listed as KM#415.2 in Copper-Nickel as well.

Cuba KM#418.2 / Schön# 708.2  25 Centavos. Year: 1989. Weight: 6.41g [6.45 g]. Metal: Copper-Nickel. Diameter: 23.50 mm. Edge: Plain. Alignment: Medal. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba.
Obverse: "INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE TURISMO" (National Institute of Tourism) written in Spanish in the top section. "Mariposa" (Spanish word for butterfly) flower in the center. "• 1989 • CUBA •" written at the bottom right side. Reverse: Logo of the National Institute of Tourism ("INTUR") featuring a Real Palm tree in the center. Numerals "25" written at the center right side. Value "VEINTE Y CINCO CENTAVOS" (Twenty and Five Centavos) written at the bottom section. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: 1981 (Large "25" = KM#418.1) and 1989 (Small "25" = KM#418.2).

Note: 1989 is listed as KM#415.2a in Nickel plated Steel as well.

Schizanthus (also called butterfly flower, fringeflower, poor-man's-orchid), is a genus of plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. "Mariposa" (Spanish word for butterfly) flower is the national flower of Cuba. It is very common in Cuba, with very nice and sweet fragance. They are annual or biennial herbaceous plants, with attractive flowers and they belong to the subfamily Schizanthoideae of the Solanaceae. The genus includes species native to Chile and Argentina, many species are adventitious in other parts of the world such as New Zealand and the United States.
This flower was used by Celia Sánchez Manduley (b. 09 May 1920 – d. 11 January 1980) in the Cuban Revolution to hide telegrams.

 
 
Currency: Cuba Convertible Peso = 100 centavos (visitor's coinage, 1994-date).

In 1994, coins were introduced in denominations of 5, 10, 25 and 50 centavos and 1 peso. The 5 pesos (rarely seen) was introduced in 1999, followed by the 1 centavo coins in 2000. 1994 issues are Medal alignment and produced by Royal Canadian Mint at Ottawa, while from 1996 the remaining coins are Coin alignment produced at Havana, Cuba.

 
1994
 

Cuba KM#575.1 / Schön# 713 5 Centavos. Year: 1994. Weight: 2.64g [2.65 g]. Metal: Nickel plated steel (magnetic). Diameter: 17.50 mm. Thickness: 1.50 mm. Edge: Reeded. Alignment: Medal. Mint: Ottawa, Royal Canadian Mint.
Obverse: "REPUBLICA DE CUBA" (Republic of Cuba) written in Spanish at the top. Cuba Coat of Arms in the center. Date below Coat of Arms. "cinco centavos" (five centavos) written in Spanish at the bottom. 8-sided shape on edge. Reverse: Colonial house in the center. Value "5¢" written at the top right side. "CASA COLONIAL" (colonial house) written in Spanish above the building on the right side. 8-sided shape on edge. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: One year type. Engraver: Charles Edward Barber (Obverse side).

Note: The colonial house is a very common construction in every town and city of Cuba, even at Havana. Many of those were built in the 15th to 19th centuries, and are in good conservation conditions. Some of them are museums, like the house of Diego Velázquez, 1st governor of Cuba and founder of 7 towns. His house was built about 1516/1530 and is a museum where are shown articles, furniture and decorations of different ages, from 1500 to 1900.

Cuba KM#576.1 / Schön# 714 10 Centavos. Year: 1994. Weight: 4.04g [4.00 g]. Metal: Nickel plated steel (magnetic). Diameter: 19.50 mm. Thickness: 1.80 mm. Edge: Reeded. Alignment: Medal. Mint: Ottawa, Royal Canadian Mint.
Obverse: "REPUBLICA DE CUBA" (Republic of Cuba) written in Spanish at the top. Cuba Coat of Arms in the center. Date below Coat of Arms. "diez centavos" (ten centavos) written in Spanish at the bottom. 8-sided shape on edge. Reverse: Castillo de la Fuerza (Castle of the Force) in the center. Value "10¢" written at the top left side. "CASTILLO DE LA FUERZA" (Castle of the Force) written in Spanish above the building. 8-sided shape on edge. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: One year type. Engraver: Charles Edward Barber (Obverse side).

Note: The Castillo de la Real Fuerza (English Castle of the Royal Force) is a bastion fort on the western side of the harbour in Havana, Cuba, set back from the entrance, and bordering the Plaza de Armas. Originally built to defend against attack by pirates, it suffered from a poor location; it is too far inside the bay. The fort is considered to be the oldest stone fort in the Americas, and was listed in 1982 as part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of "Old Havana and its Fortifications".
A previous fort, the Fuerza Vieja (Old Fort), was badly damaged in 1555 during an attack on Havana by the French privateer Jacques de Sores and eventually was demolished in 1582. In 1558 Bartolomé Sánchez, an engineer appointed by King Philip II of Spain, began work on the new fort, initially known as the Fuerza Nueva (New Fort). The Fuerza Vieja was set back from the harbour, but the new fort was planned to be closer to the harbour to give it a better location. The ironworks were established in 1558, but the first stones were not laid until 1562. Construction was delayed due to complaints from local residents forced to relocate to make way for the building and from disagreements between Sánchez and the Governor of Havana. The fort was not completed until 1577, with slaves and French prisoners providing most of the labour. The fort was built of limestone quarried from the Havana shoreline and the fortification incorporated thick sloping walls, a moat, and a drawbridge. The governor, Francisco Carreño, ordered the addition an upper storey as barracks and a munitions store, but on completion, the fort proved to be too small for practical use.
In 1634, Juan Vitrián de Viamonte added a watchtower with a weathervane sculpted in the form of a woman, by Gerónimo Martín Pinzón, an artist from Havana, and based on the figure crowning La Giralda in Seville. The façade of the fortress was demolished in 1851 to allow O’Reilly Street to go all the way to the docks, and prevent the fort from overshadowing El Templete, which was completed in 1828.
The fort was home to the National Archive from 1899 and the National Library from 1938 up until 1957, when both were relocated to a purpose-built library in Plaza de la Revolución. After the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the fort housed the offices of the National Commission of Monuments and the Centre of Preservation, Restoration and Museology. The fort served briefly as the Museum of Arms, but the conditions within the fortress were not conducive to the preservation of the displays.
In 1977, on the 400th anniversary of completion, the building was inaugurated as a museum and used to display exhibitions of Cuban contemporary and international art. In 1990, it became the National Museum of Cuban Ceramics.
In 2010, Castillo de la Real Fuerza reopened as Cuba’s premier maritime museum. (There is also a small naval museum in Cienfuegos.) The museum contains excellent exhibits of Cuba’s maritime past from pre-Columbian days through to the 18th century with the Royal Shipyard of Havana, one of the largest in the world, which built nearly 200 ships for the Spanish Crown. The museum features a huge four-metre model of the Santisima Trinidad located on the main floor with a large interactive touch screen in Spanish, French, and English. The exhibit describes life aboard an 18th-century ship-of-the-line. The original ship was launched into Havana Bay on 2 March 1769 and was the largest ship in the world in the 18th century, with 140 cannons on four gun decks. She was one of four Cuban-built ships at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Downstairs you will find ancient navigational instruments, underwater archaeological artifacts, and gold and silver from the colonial era. Also note the original weathervane, La Giraldilla, while her replica moves in the breeze on the top of the fortress tower, which also commands a fantastic view of the city. The second level of the museum hosts many other historic and contemporary models of ships with links to Cuba and is also a good location for viewing the harbour and city skyline.

Cuba KM#577.1 / Schön# 715 25 Centavos. Year: 1994. Weight: 5.64g [5.65 g]. Metal: Nickel plated steel (magnetic). Diameter: 19.50 mm. Thickness: 1.80 mm. Edge: Reeded. Alignment: Medal. Mint: Ottawa, Royal Canadian Mint.
Obverse: "REPUBLICA DE CUBA" (Republic of Cuba) written in Spanish at the top. Cuba Coat of Arms in the center. Date below Coat of Arms. "veinticinco centavos" (twenty-five centavos) written in Spanish at the bottom. 8-sided shape on edge. Reverse: A street in Trinidad, traditional houses and the Church of San Francisco de Asis in the center. Value "25¢" written at the top left side. "TRINIDAD" (Trinity) written in Spanish above the building at center left side. 8-sided shape on edge. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: One year type. Engraver: Charles Edward Barber (Obverse side).

Note: Trinidad is a town in the province of Sancti Spíritus, central Cuba. Together with the nearby Valle de los Ingenios, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988.
Trinidad was founded on 23 December 1514 by Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar under the name Villa de la Santísima Trinidad. Hernán Cortés recruited men for his expedition from Juan de Grijalva's home in Trinidads, and Sancti Spíritus, at the start of his 1518 expedition. This included Pedro de Alvarado and his five brothers. After ten days, Cortes sailed, the alcayde Francisco Verdugo failing to prevent Cortes from leaving, despite orders from Diego Velázquez. The Narvaez Expedition landed at Trinidad in 1527 en route to Florida. Caught in a hurricane, the expedition lost two ships, twenty horses and sixty men to the violent storm.
Francisco Iznaga, a Basque landowner in the southern portion of Cuba during the first 30 years of the colonization of Cuba, was elected Mayor of Bayamo in 1540. Iznaga was the originator of a powerful lineage which finally settled in Trinidad where the Torre Iznaga (Iznaga Tower) is. His descendants fought for the independence of Cuba and for annexation to the U.S., from 1820 to 1900. Trinidad is one of the best-preserved cities in the Caribbean from the time when the sugar trade was the main industry in the region.

Cuba KM#578.1 / Schön# 716 50 Centavos. Year: 1994. Weight: 7.49g [7.50 g]. Metal: Nickel plated steel (magnetic). Diameter: 24.50 mm. Thickness: 2.00 mm. Edge: Reeded. Alignment: Medal. Mint: Ottawa, Royal Canadian Mint.
Obverse: "REPUBLICA DE CUBA" (Republic of Cuba) written in Spanish at the top. Cuba Coat of Arms in the center. Date below Coat of Arms. "cincuenta centavos" (fifty centavos) written in Spanish at the bottom. 8-sided shape on edge. Reverse: The Havana Cathedral in the center. Value "50¢" written at the top right side. "CATEDRAL DE LA HABANA" (The Havana Cathedral) written in Spanish at the top left side in two line. 8-sided shape on edge. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: One year type. Engraver: Charles Edward Barber (Obverse side).

Note: Havana Cathedral (Catedral de San Cristobal) is one of eleven Catholic cathedrals on the island. It is located in the Plaza de la Catedral on Calle Empedrado, between San Ignacio y Mercaderes, Old Havana. The thirty by forty-nine meters rectangular church serves as the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Cristobal de la Habana.[1] Christopher Columbus’ remains were kept in the cathedral between 1796 and 1898 before they were taken to Seville Cathedral. It was built between 1748-1777 and was consecrated in 1782.
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of San Cristobal de la Habana (Latin: Archidioecesis Avanensis) is one of three Catholic archdioceses in Cuba. This Latin Rite or Roman Rite diocese was erected on 10 September 1787 by Pope Pius VI, from the territory of the then–Diocese of Santiago de Cuba. When it was erected, the new diocese encompassed the secular provinces of Santa Clara, Matanzas, Havana, and Pinar del Río in Cuba and Florida and Louisiana in what is now the United States of America. On 25 April 1793 the diocese lost territory for what would be the first of four territorial losses when the Diocese of Louisiana and the Two Floridas (Saint Louis of New Orleans) was erected. The diocese again lost territory on 20 February 1903 when the dioceses of Pinar del Río and Cienfuegos were erected, and then again on 10 December 1912 upon the erection of the diocese of Matanzas. Eventually the diocese was elevated to the Metropolitan See of Sancti Christophori de Habana, San Cristobal de la Habana on 06 January 1925.
The cathedral contains a number of sculptures, paintings and frescoes. There is a statute of Apolinar Serrano (23 July 1833 - 15 June 15 1876) who was a Spanish bishop of Havana and was buried in the Cathedral. Copies of paintings in the side chapels by Rubens and Murillo on the altars. There is a sculpture of Saint Christopher, Patron Saint of Havana, which dates from 1632 and was made by Martín de Andújar Cantos in Seville, Spain. Above the altar are three fading frescoes by Italian artist Giuseppe Perovani, a neoclassical artist who was commissioned by Bishop Juan José Díaz de Espada y Fernánez de Landa of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Cristóbal de la Habana to paint three scenes: The Delivery of the Keys, The Last Supper and The Ascension. There is also the canvas of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the Cathedral. Perovani was also the author of the canvas of the orange chapel (color of the ceiling) of the Virgin of Loreto, blessed by Bishop Morell de Santa Cruz in 1755. On the altar are sculptures and goldsmith works made in Rome during the first half of the XIX century. On the walls the oil paintings painted by the Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Vermay, founder and first director of the Academy of Painting and Drawing of San Alejandro, the same creator of the interior works of the El Templete, in the original enclave of the city.
The cathedral stands within the area of Old Havana that UNESCO designated a World Heritage Site in 1982.

 
1996
 

Cuba KM#575.2 / Schön# 713 5 Centavos. Year: 1996. Weight: 2.62g [2.65 g]. Metal: Nickel plated steel (magnetic). Diameter: 17.50 mm. Thickness: 1.50 mm. Edge: Reeded. Alignment: Coin. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba.
Obverse: "REPUBLICA DE CUBA" (Republic of Cuba) written in Spanish at the top. Cuba Coat of Arms in the center. Date below Coat of Arms. "cinco centavos" (five centavos) written in Spanish at the bottom. 8-sided shape on edge. Reverse: Colonial house in the center. Value "5¢" written at the top right side. "CASA COLONIAL" (colonial house) written in Spanish above the building on the right side. 8-sided shape on edge. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2000 Small Date, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Engraver: Charles Edward Barber (Obverse side).

Cuba KM#576.2 / Schön# 714 10 Centavos. Year: 1996. Weight: 4.01g [4.00 g]. Metal: Nickel plated steel (magnetic). Diameter: 19.50 mm. Thickness: 1.80 mm. Edge: Reeded. Alignment: Coin. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba.
Obverse: "REPUBLICA DE CUBA" (Republic of Cuba) written in Spanish at the top. Cuba Coat of Arms in the center. Date below Coat of Arms. "diez centavos" (ten centavos) written in Spanish at the bottom. 8-sided shape on edge. Reverse: Castillo de la Fuerza (Castle of the Force) in the center. Value "10¢" written at the top left side. "CASTILLO DE LA FUERZA" (Castle of the Force) written in Spanish above the building. 8-sided shape on edge. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Engraver: Charles Edward Barber (Obverse side).
 
1998
 

Cuba KM#577.2 / Schön# 715 25 Centavos. Year: 1998. Weight: 5.66g [5.65 g]. Metal: Nickel plated steel (magnetic). Diameter: 19.50 mm. Thickness: 1.80 mm. Edge: Reeded. Alignment: Coin. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba.
Obverse: "REPUBLICA DE CUBA" (Republic of Cuba) written in Spanish at the top. Cuba Coat of Arms in the center. Date below Coat of Arms. "veinticinco centavos" (twenty-five centavos) written in Spanish at the bottom. 8-sided shape on edge. Reverse: A street in Trinidad, traditional houses and the Church of San Francisco de Asis in the center. Value "25¢" written at the top left side. "TRINIDAD" (Trinity) written in Spanish above the building at center left side. 8-sided shape on edge. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2003 Narrow Date, 2004, 2006, 2006 Thick date, 2007, 2008 Curved Date, 2009, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Engraver: Charles Edward Barber (Obverse side).

Cuba KM#579.2 / Schön# 717 Peso. Year: 1998. Weight: 8.49g [8.50 g]. Metal: Nickel plated steel (magnetic). Diameter: 26.50 mm. Thickness: 2.00 mm. Edge: Reeded. Alignment: Coin. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Type1: Date Far from the Wreath.

Obverse: "REPUBLICA DE CUBA" (Republic of Cuba) written in Spanish at the top. Cuba Coat of Arms in the center. Date below Coat of Arms. "un peso" (one peso) written in Spanish at the bottom. 8-sided shape on edge. Reverse: View of Guamá ville in the center. Value "1$" (One Peso) written at the top left side. "GUAMÁ" is written left side of the roof of the hut. 8-sided shape on edge. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: 1998, 2000 Wide Curved Date, 2001, 2007 Thin small narrow Date, 2012, 2016 Wide straight Date, 2017 Wide straight Date and 2018. Engraver: Charles Edward Barber (Obverse side).

KM#579.1 is produced in 1994 as Medal alignment.

Guamá (died c. 1532) was a Taíno rebel chief who led a rebellion against Spanish rule in Cuba in the 1530s. Taínos (name of the tribe) were slaved to work in the gold mines. Legend states that Guamá was first warned about the Spanish conquistador by Hatuey, a Taíno cacique from the island of Hispaniola.
After the death of Spanish governor Diego de Velázquez (circa 1460-1524), Guamá led a series of bloody indigenous uprisings against the Spanish that lasted for roughly 10 years. By 1530 Guamá had about fifty warriors and continued to recruit more pacified yndios. The rebellion mainly occurred in the extensive forests of the area of Çagua, near Baracoa in the easternmost area of Cuba, but also farther south and west in the Sierra Maestra.
Archaeologists and forensic pathologists believe that a body found in the Cuban mountains in February 2003 is indeed that of the legendary rebel chief Guamá. According to the testimony of a captive Indian taken by the Spanish during the rebellion, Guamá was murdered by his brother Oliguama, who buried an axe in his forehead while he slept, in 1532. According to oral tradition Oliguama, also spelled Holguoma, killed Guamá because of a sexual relationship between Guamá and Oliguama's wife.
The death of Guamá and the capture and execution of his warrior wife Casiguaya, plus the killing or dispersal of most of the group by a cuadrilla, a war party of Spanish, Indians and Blacks under the orders of Spanish governor Manuel de Rojas, ended major resistance to the Spanish by 1533. Brizuela of Baitiquirí (Zayas, 1914) fought on until about 1540, when he was captured and imprisoned.

Guamá Ville is a touristic complex, placed in the Ciénaga de Zapata, situated about 150 km to southeast of Havana. Has several huts, built using the traditional materials and techniques, a great diversity of fauna and flora, declared as Biosphere Reserve on 2000, also has a Cuban crocodile breeding farm.
Guamá Ville is a touristic complex, placed in the Ciénaga de Zapata, situated about 150 km to southeast of Havana. Has several huts, built using the traditional materials and techniques, a great diversity of fauna and flora, declared as Biosphere Reserve on 2000, also has a Cuban crocodile breeding farm.

Type2: Date Close to the Wreath. Weight: 8.51g [8.50 g].
 
1999
 

Same as above KM#575.2 five centavos, but...

Year: 1999. Weight: 2.66 g [2.65g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

Same as above KM#576.2 ten centavos, but...

Year: 1999. Weight: 4.02 g [4.00g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

Type1: Date Far from the Wreath.

Same as above coin but...

Type2: Date Close to the Wreath. Weight: 3.99g [4.00 g]

Cuba KM#730 / Schön# 718 5 Pesos. Year: 1999. Weight: 4.45g [4.50 g]. Metal: Bimetallic; Nickel plated steel (center) and Brass plated steel (ring). Diameter: 23.00 mm. Thickness: 1.64 mm. Edge: Reeded. Alignment: Coin. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba.
Obverse: "ERNESTO "CHE" GUEVARA DE LA SERNA" (Guevara´s full name) written in the top section. Guevara facing right in the center with Numeral "5" in front of his mouth. Date "1999" written at the bottom. Reverse: "REPUBLICA DE CUBA" (Republic of Cuba) written in Spanish at the top. Cuba Coat of Arms in the center. One star on the left side and one star of the right side. "CINCO PESOS CONVERTIBLES" (Five Convertible Pesos) written in Spanish at the bottom. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: One year type. Engraver: Charles Edward Barber (Obverse side). Subject: 40th anniversary of Ernesto "Che" Guevara as President of Banco Nacional de Cuba (BNC). Coin was minted in 1999, but issued in 2004 (45th anniversary of the event).

Ernesto "Che" Guevara headed the National Bank of Cuba (BNC) for 456 days (26 November 1959 - 1961). This was possibly the shortest period of time that Che dedicated to a task of such significance and, according to many historians, it is the period least known about his life.
By 26 November 1959, the date on which he assumed the presidency of the BNC, the Cuban bank was in a critical situation. As yet not nationalized and with scant reserves, given that the majority of its assets had been stolen and taken to the United States, the inherited banking system lacked the conditions to promote the newly independent country’s economic and social development.
In this context, the revolutionary government’ principal intention was to recover financial control of the banking system and place it in the hands of the state, including the functions of conserving and guarding the monetary funds owned by the National Bank. Naturally, all of this militated against U.S. plans to destabilize the national economy.
The Cuban government’s response to this U.S. proposition was swift. Under Che’s presidency, the flight of hard currency from the country was controlled, the BNC was nationalized, the Organic Bank Law was drafted and the return for counterrevolutionary purposes of capital taken out of the country was avoided.
The Central Bank of Cuba (Spanish: Banco Central de Cuba, BCC) is now the central bank of Cuba. It was created in 1997 to take over many of the functions of the National Bank of Cuba (Spanish: Banco Nacional de Cuba) which was established in 1950.

Ernesto "Che" Guevara (14 June 1928 – 09 October 1967) was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, guerrilla leader, diplomat, and military theorist. A major figure of the Cuban Revolution, his stylized visage has become a ubiquitous countercultural symbol of rebellion and global insignia in popular culture.
As a young medical student, Guevara traveled throughout South America and was radicalized by the poverty, hunger, and disease he witnessed. His burgeoning desire to help overturn what he saw as the capitalist exploitation of Latin America by the United States prompted his involvement in Guatemala's social reforms under President Jacobo Árbenz, whose eventual CIA-assisted overthrow at the behest of the United Fruit Company solidified Guevara's political ideology. Later in Mexico City, Guevara met Raúl and Fidel Castro, joined their 26th of July Movement, and sailed to Cuba aboard the yacht Granma with the intention of overthrowing U.S.-backed Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. Guevara soon rose to prominence among the insurgents, was promoted to second in command and played a pivotal role in the victorious two-year guerrilla campaign that deposed the Batista regime.
Following the Cuban Revolution, Guevara performed a number of key roles in the new government. These included reviewing the appeals and firing squads for those convicted as war criminals during the revolutionary tribunals, instituting agrarian land reform as minister of industries, helping spearhead a successful nationwide literacy campaign, serving as both national bank president and instructional director for Cuba's armed forces, and traversing the globe as a diplomat on behalf of Cuban socialism. Such positions also allowed him to play a central role in training the militia forces who repelled the Bay of Pigs Invasion, and bringing Soviet nuclear-armed ballistic missiles to Cuba, which preceded the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Additionally, Guevara was a prolific writer and diarist, composing a seminal manual on guerrilla warfare, along with a best-selling memoir about his youthful continental motorcycle journey. His experiences and studying of Marxism–Leninism led him to posit that the Third World's underdevelopment and dependence was an intrinsic result of imperialism, neocolonialism and monopoly capitalism, with the only remedy being proletarian internationalism and world revolution. Guevara left Cuba in 1965 to foment revolution abroad, first unsuccessfully in Congo-Kinshasa and later in Bolivia, where he was captured by CIA-assisted Bolivian forces and summarily executed by shooting. He died on 09 October 1967 (aged 39) at La Higuera, Vallegrande, Bolivia.

 
2000
 

Cuba KM#729 / Schön# 712 Centavo. Year: 2000. Weight: 1.72g [1.70 g]. Metal: Copper plated steel (magnetic). Diameter: 14.50 mm. Thickness: 1.43 mm. Edge: Reeded. Alignment: Coin. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba.
Obverse: "REPUBLICA DE CUBA" (Republic of Cuba) written in Spanish at the top. Cuba Coat of Arms in the center. Date below Coat of Arms. "un centavo" (one centavo) written in Spanish at the bottom. 8-sided shape on edge. Reverse: "Plaza de la Revolución" (Revolution Square) at Havana in the center. Value "1¢" written at the top right side with "PLAZA DE LA REVOLUCIÓN" written in two lines below it. 8-sided shape on edge. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: 2000, 2002, 2002 Thick Date, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2016 and 2017. Engraver: Charles Edward Barber (Obverse side).

Note: The Revolution Square Plaza is 31st largest city square in the world, measuring 72,000 square meters. The square is notable as being where many political rallies take place and Fidel Castro and other political figures address Cubans. Fidel Castro addressed more than a million Cubans on many important occasions, such as 1 May and 26 July each year. Pope John Paul II, during his 1998 first visit by a Pope, and Pope Francis in 2015, held large Masses there during papal visits to Cuba.
The square is dominated by the José Martí Memorial, which features a 109 m (358 ft) tall tower and an 18 m (59 ft) statue. The National Library, many government ministries, and other buildings are located in and around the Plaza. Located behind the memorial is the Palace of the Revolution, the seat of the Cuban government and Communist Party. Opposite the memorial are the offices of the Ministries of the Interior and Communications, whose facades feature matching steel memorials of the two most important deceased heroes of the Cuban Revolution: Che Guevara, with the quotation "Hasta la Victoria Siempre" (Until the Everlasting Victory, Always) and Camilo Cienfuegos (sometimes mistaken for Fidel Castro), with the quotation "Vas bien, Fidel" (You're doing fine, Fidel). It is also the site of several cultural institutions.

Charles Edward Barber (16 November 1840 – 18 February 1917) was the sixth chief engraver of the United States Mint from 1879 until his death in 1917. Besides designing US coins of Barber half dollar, Barber quarter, Barber dime and Liberty Head nickel, he also designed Cuba coins during 1915-1961: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 & 40 Centavos.

Same as above KM#575.2 five centavos, but...

Year: 2000. Weight: 2.69 g [2.65g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

Same as above coin but having Double Strike Date as shown. Weight: 2.67 g [2.65g].

Same as above coin but having "Small Date" variety. Weight: 2.67 g [2.65g].

Same as above KM#576.2 ten centavos, but...

Year: 2000. Weight: 3.95 g [4.00g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

Same as above coin but having slightly Thick Date. Weight: 3.96 g [4.00g].

Same as above KM#577.2 twenty-five centavos, but...

Year: 2000. Weight: 5.69 g [5.65g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

 
2001
 

Cuba KM#733 / Schön# 712a Centavo. Year: 2001. Weight: 0.74g [0.75 g]. Metal: Aluminium. Diameter: 16.50 mm. Thickness: 1.50 mm. Edge: Plain. Alignment: Coin. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba.
Obverse: "REPUBLICA DE CUBA" (Republic of Cuba) written in Spanish at the top. Cuba Coat of Arms in the center. Date below Coat of Arms. "un centavo" (one centavo) written in Spanish at the bottom. 8-sided shape on edge. Reverse: "Plaza de la Revolución" (Revolution Square) at Havana in the center. Value "1¢" written at the top right side with "PLAZA DE LA REVOLUCIÓN" written in two lines below it. 8-sided shape on edge. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2015 and 2019. Engraver: Charles Edward Barber (Obverse side).
 
2002
 

Same as above KM#729 centavo, but...

Year: 2002. Weight: 1.69 g [1.70g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

Same as above coin, but having Thick date as shown. Weight: 1.71 g [1.70g].

Same as above KM#733 centavo, but...

Year: 2002. Weight: 0.74 g [0.75g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

Same as above KM#575.2 five centavos, but...

Year: 2002. Weight: 2.66 g [2.65g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

Same as above KM#576.2 ten centavos, but...

Year: 2002. Weight: 4.01 g [4.00g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

Same as above KM#577.2 twenty-five centavos, but...

Year: 2002. Weight: 5.65 g [5.65g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

Cuba KM#578.2 / Schön# 716 50 Centavos. Year: 2002. Weight: 7.53g [7.50 g]. Metal: Nickel plated steel (magnetic). Diameter: 24.50 mm. Thickness: 2.00 mm. Edge: Reeded. Alignment: Medal. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba.

Type: Thin Legends on Obverse side.

Obverse: "REPUBLICA DE CUBA" (Republic of Cuba) written in Spanish at the top. Cuba Coat of Arms in the center. Date below Coat of Arms. "cincuenta centavos" (fifty centavos) written in Spanish at the bottom. 8-sided shape on edge. Reverse: The Havana Cathedral in the center. Value "50¢" written at the top right side. "CATEDRAL DE LA HABANA" (The Havana Cathedral) written in Spanish at the top left side in two line. 8-sided shape on edge. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: 2002 Obverse Thin Legends, 2002 Obverse Thick legends, 2007, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Engraver: Charles Edward Barber (Obverse side).
 
2003
 

Same as above KM#577.2 twenty-five centavos, but...

Year: 2003. Weight: 5.68 g [5.65g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

Normal "Wide Date" variety.

Same as above coin but having "Narrow Date" variety.

5.68 g [5.65g].

 
 
2005
 

Same as above KM#733 centavo, but...

Year: 2005. Weight: 0.78 g [0.75g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

 
2006
 

Same as above KM#729 centavo, but...

Year: 2006. Weight: 1.71 g [1.70g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

Same as above KM#577.2 twenty-five centavos, but...

Year: 2006. Weight: 5.78 g [5.65g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

 
2007
 

Same as above KM#729 centavo, but...

Year: 2007. Weight: 1.71 g [1.70g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

Same as above KM#579.2 One Peso, but...

Year: 2007. Weight: 8.53 g [8.50g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

Instead of having rotation at 6 o'clock this coin has rotation at 11 o'clock.

Same as above coin but having proper Coin alignment. Just a small dot below the first Zero in Date. The weight is surprising also somehow less. Weight: 8.33 g [8.50g].
 
2008
 

Same as above KM#576.2 ten centavos, but...

Year: 2008. Weight: 3.91 g [4.00g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

Same as above KM#577.2 twenty-five centavos, but...

Year: 2008. Weight: 5.59 g [5.65g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

This Date is known to have "Curved Date".

 
2013
 

Same as above KM#729 centavo, but...

Year: 2013. Weight: 1.71 g [1.70g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

 
2016
 

Same as above KM#575.2 five centavos, but...

Year: 2016. Weight: 2.64 g [2.65g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

Same as above KM#576.2 ten centavos, but...

Year: 2016. Weight: 3.91 g [4.00g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

Same as above KM#578.2 fifty centavos, but...

Year: 2016. Weight: 7.50 g [7.50g]. Mint: Empresa Cubana de Acuñaciones, Havana, Cuba. Mintage: N/A.

 
 
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Chiefa Coins