Dominica
 
 
               03 Nov 1493  Discovered and claimed for Spain by Christopher
                            Columbus, named Isla Dominga
                      1627  Dominica claimed for England by Earl of Carlisle, no
                            settlement
                      1635  Claimed by France, no settlement until 1690's.
               31 Mar 1660  Agreed between Caribs, French and English that
                            Dominica will be left for the Caribs
               07 Feb 1686  French and English redesignate Dominica a Carib
                            territory, French settlers continue to arrive
                      1700  British attempted settlement
 18 Oct 1748 - 06 Jun 1761  Neutral territory (as agreed by France and Britain)
               06 Jun 1761  Occupied by Britain
               10 Feb 1763  British colony
 07 Sep 1778 - Jan 1784     French rule
               Jan 1784     British colony
        1833 - 01 Jan 1940  Part of the Leeward Islands under Antigua
    Jan 1940 - 01 Jan 1960  Part of the Windward Islands under Grenada
 03 Jan 1958 - 31 May 1962  Dominica becomes part of Federation of the West
                            Indies under Trinidad and Tobago
               01 Mar 1967  Associated state
               03 Nov 1978  Independence (Commonwealth of Dominica)
 
 
The Commonwealth of Dominican, situated in the Lesser Antilles midway between Guadeloupe to the north and Martinique to the south. It has an area of 290 sq. mi. (750 sq. km.). Capital: Roseau. Agriculture is the chief economic activity of this mountainous island. Bananas are the chief export.

Columbus discovered and named the island on Nov. 03, 1493. Spain neglected it and it was finally colonized by the French in 1632. The British drove the French from the island in 1756. Thereafter it changed hands between the French and British a dozen or more times before becoming a permanently British in 1805.

Motto: "Après Bondie, C'est La Ter"  (Antillean Creole) "After God is the Earth"

 

  • Claimed by Spain.................................03 Nov 1493 - 1627
  • Claimed by England......................................1627 - 1635
  • France..................................................1632 - 18 Oct 1748
  • A Neutral Zone (France and England)..............18 Oct 1748 - 06 Jun 1761
  • Great Britain....................................06 Jun 1761 - 07 Sep 1778
  • France...........................................07 Sep 1778 - Jan 1784
  • Great Britain.......................................Jan 1784 - 1973
  • Self-governing dependency...............................1973 - 03 Nov 1978
    • Governor
    • Geoffrey Colin Guy..........................01 Mar 1967 - Nov 1967
    • Sir Louis Cools-Lartigue.......................Nov 1967 - 03 Nov 1978
  • President
  • Sir Louis Cools-Lartigue (continued as interim)..03 Nov 1978 - 16 Jan 1979
  • Frederick "Fred" Eutrope Degazon.................16 Jan 1979 - Feb 1980
  • left Dominica for U.K. on 11 Jun 1979.
  • Sir Louis Cools-Lartigue (acting for Degazon)....15 Jun 1979 - 16 Jun 1979
  • Jenner Bourne Maude Armour (acting for Degazon)..21 Jun 1979 - 25 Feb 1980
  • Aurelius John Baptiste Lamothe Marie.............25 Feb 1980 - 19 Dec 1983
  • Clarence Henry Augustus Seignoret................19 Dec 1983 - 24 Oct 1993
  • from 25 Oct 1985, Sir Clarence Henry Augustus Seignoret.
  • Crispin Anselm Sorhaindo.........................25 Oct 1993 - 05 Oct 1998
  • Vernon Lorden Shaw...............................06 Oct 1998 - 01 Oct 2003
  • Nicolas Joseph Orville Liverpool.................02 Oct 2003 - 17 Sep 2012
  • Eliud Thaddeus Williams..........................17 Sep 2012 - 02 Oct 2013
  • Charles Angelo Savarin...........................02 Oct 2013 - date
Around 1761, pierced or mutilated silver from Martinique was used on the island. A council in 1798 acknowledged and established value of these mutilated coins and ordered other cut and countermarked to be made in Dominica. These remain in use until 1862, when they were demonetized and Sterling became the standard. Throughout the greater part of its British history, Dominica was a presidency of the Leeward Islands. In 1940 its administration was transferred to the Windward Islands and it was established as a separate colony with  considerable local autonomy. From 1955, Dominica was a member of the currency board of the British Caribbean Territories (Eastern Group), which issued its own coins until 1965. Dominica became a West Indies associated state with a built in option for independence in 1967. Full independence was attained on Nov. 03, 1978. Dominica, which has a republican form of government, is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
 
Monetary standard: East Caribbean Dollar = 100 cents.
The East Caribbean dollar (sign: $; code: XCD) is the currency of eight of the nine members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (the one exception being the British Virgin Islands). From 1955, Dominica was a member of the currency board of the British Caribbean Territories (Eastern Group). It issued its own coins until 1965, being the successor to the British West Indies dollar, and it is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $ or, alternatively, EC$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. The EC$ is subdivided into 100 cents. It has been pegged to the United States dollar since July 07, 1976 and the exchange rate is US$1 = EC$2.70. Six of the states using the EC$ are independent states: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The other two are British overseas territories: Anguilla and Montserrat. Commemorative coins were produced by Dominica in 1970, 1978, 1979, 1985 and 1988.
 
Dominica commemorative coins
 

KM#11 4 Dollars. Year: 1970. Weight: 28.13 grams. Metal: Copper-Nickel. Edge: Reeded. Diameter: 38.50 mm. Alignment: Medal. Mint: British Royal Mint. Obverse: Dominica Coat and Arms with Motto: Après Bondie, C'est La Ter in the center. "DOMINICA" and date below it. "INAUGURATION OF THE CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT BANK" around. Reverse: Sugar cane and Banana tree branches in the center. "GROW MORE FOOD FOR MANKIND" on the top part and value "4 DOLLARS" at the bottom. F.A.O issue. Mintage: 15,000 (including 2,000 proof pieces). Minted Years: One year type. Governor: Sir Louis Cools-Lartique (Nov 1967 - 03 Nov 1978) under British monarch: Elizabeth II [Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor].

KM#21 100 Dollars. Year: 1988. Weight: 129.59 grams. Metal: .925 Silver. Edge: Reeded. Diameter: 63.00 mm. Alignment: Medal. Mint: British Royal Mint. Obverse: Dominica Coat and Arms having Motto: "Après Bondie, C'est La Ter" within the center circle. "DOMINICA" above the center circle and date at the bottom. Reverse: Tropical birds - Imperial Parrots on a tree. "ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS" written at the top. Mintage: 10,000 (estimated). Minted Years: One year type. President: Sir Clarence Henry Augustus Seignoret. (19 Dec 1983 - 24 Oct 1993).
 
 
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