KOTCT
Worldwide Coins & Bank Notes => Other World Coins => Topic started by: ElleKitty on November 15, 2007, 07:42:31 AM
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(http://www.omnicoin.com/coins/933908.jpg)
1992 5 Francs, Comoros islands, independent. This coin features a coelacanth fish to comemmorate the World Fisheries Conference. Though the country was independent from France politically since 1975, and officially since 1978, the coin still pays homage to the French Territory and Union designs of coins throughout the world.
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Kind of fascinating that they would keep the same design as their previous French community coinage from before they became independent, especially since they are presently and have been in conflict with France for the French Indian Ocean territories that voted not to join the Comoros when they voted for independence.
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As far as I am aware, this is the only issue which retained the old french motif. The rest of the Comoros coins I have are designed with a crescent moon facing right, and four stars diagonally stretching between the points of the moon.
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G'day Miss Kitty.
What an unusual fish.
The rear end looks like it was drawn by a child in pre-school.
Are they edible?
regards,
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The Coelacanth is a Cretaceous age fish, known only by the fossil record until the 1930's. They are nearly inedible, and protected harshly by law. There is only about 500 of these fish remaining in the wild, making it quite difficult for the breeding population.
The Comoros Islands are one of the places that they can be found. Fishermen who catch these fish by accident now return them to their waters to protect the species.
More can be read here~! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coelacanth
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Very cool coin. Thanks Elle, for posting the link to the Coelacanth. I love reading about prehistoric animals.