Coinage from Haiti

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Hello,

There are many coins for sale online from Haiti.
Circulating Coins in Silver & Commemorative Coins in Silver as well as Gold.

Question 1:
Where were the Gold commemorative coins struck and minted during the 1960s?

Question 2:
Where were the Silver Circulating and Commemorative coins minted or manufactured from 1900 to 1960?
&

Question 3:
Where were the circulating coins made during the 1800s? France?

Thank you for addressing these inquiries.
Welcome to the forum!

1. There were 10 gold coins released in the sixties. Here's a link: https://en.numista.com/catalogue/index.php?e=haiti&r=&ct=coin&tb=y&tc=y&tn=y&tp=y&tt=y&cat=y&ru=&ca=3&no=&v=&i=&b=&d=&u=&a=&dg=1960-1969&m=6&f=&t=&w=&mt=&g=&se=&c=&wi=&sw=&o=v

2. There were no silver coins released in that time period.

3. I cannot answer this fully as most of the coins don't list a mint.
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Revisor de Numista para monedas de CRI, GTM, HND, NIC, PAN y SLV.

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Thanks for the reply,

The links provided, (back to the Numista site) "do not indicate where the coins are struck". While there is data on composition, weight, size and the number minted... the question yet remains. Where?

Unless I'm missing something from your reply, I don't see the answer.

Some online sources have indicated that the Birmingham/Heaton Mint of England "may have" been contracted to manufacture coinage from Haiti as they did for many international clients and territories of the UK. However after searching a list of coinage produced by Birmingham Mint, this assertion could not be validated.

Another online source indicates the US Philadelphia Mint, but after searching online and speaking with a Mint representative. No Haitian coins were manufactured there. The Franklin mint may have released the "Indian Chiefs" series, but once again no confirmation.

2. Thank you for this clarification.

3. Yes there are many and as you indicate most don't have mint marks. Are there any that do, and is the mint of origin known on any of them?

This search started out as I was considering coins of the Carribbean (Haiti) for purchase and learned that most surrounding islands have data links leading to these questions, with the exception of Cuba and Haiti.

There's got to be a source to get definitive info on "Where Haitian Coins are Made"?

Thanks for your time,
I looked further and came up with a few results.

The mint employee that you talked to was simply wrong, a number of coins from Haiti were minted at US mints. Here's a link to a publication released by the Department of Treasury with a list: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112105194416&view=1up&seq=125&skin=2021

For Heatons's mint, several coins have the name "HEATON" inscribed on the coin. I would be surprised if they were minted elsewhere. https://en.numista.com/catalogue/index.php?e=haiti&r=&ct=coin&tb=y&tc=y&tn=y&tp=y&tt=y&cat=y&ru=&ca=3&no=&v=&i=heaton&b=&d=&u=&a=&dg=&m=&f=&t=&w=&mt=&g=&se=&c=&wi=&sw=

Also, many 19th century coins have an "A" mint mark. That signifies that they were minted in Paris.
Master Coin Referee
Coin referee for CRI, GTM, HND, NIC, PAN, and SLV.

Revisor principal de monedas
Revisor de Numista para monedas de CRI, GTM, HND, NIC, PAN y SLV.

Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦 and Free Palestine 🇵🇸!
Hello,

Thanks again for the detailed response and link to Foreign Coinage by U.S. Mint. I thought I had looked everywhere with dead end links.
I suspected that the U.S. Mint representative was in error and lacked the resources or expertise to search within the history of the mint to assist. He was very willing however to offer us some current releases, lol.

The spreadsheet /lists really helps as it also includes Cuba and Liberia, along with Haiti and others.

And, now I do see the "Heaton" mintmark on the coinage from 1863. Never noticed that! Thank you!!

Funny sidebar, is that I have asked several dozen coin dealers on eBay if they know where the Haitian coins are minted that they are selling. These are dealers across America and in Europe. Most don't even reply, don't know or just say "Haiti".

As you know this is a fascinating field. The art, engraving and craftsmanship of coinage is amazing.

From the list of Haitian coins made by the U.S. mint, there is a lapse in production from 1958 to 1970. This is the period (1967-1970) when many of the Silver and Gold Commemorative Coins were issued that I'm most interested in researching. There are some additional later releases in Silver that are also beautiful works of art.

I have not seen the "A" mint mark signaling Paris yet. But in support of that, I do believe that the Gold and maybe the Silver NCLTs from 1967-1970, specifically the 20,50,100 & 200 Gourdes were perhaps engraved and or minted in France.
I'd like to know who the engravers were and where they were minted.
Any leads on that?

Many thanks to you for your help and insights.
Quote: "bubbabullion"Funny sidebar, is that I have asked several dozen coin dealers on eBay if they know where the Haitian coins are minted that they are selling. These are dealers across America and in Europe. Most don't even reply, don't know or just say "Haiti".
​It is unfortunate how many coin dealers lack curiosity about the items that they are selling.

As for the Paris mint, they only minted coins for Haiti in the 19th century. Ironic how the Haitian government prides itself on their independence from France, yet buys their coins from them. Here's a list: https://en.numista.com/catalogue/index.php?e=haiti&r=&ct=coin&tb=y&tc=y&tn=y&tp=y&tt=y&cat=y&ru=&ca=3&no=&v=&i=&b=&d=&u=&a=&dg=&m=&f=&t=&w=&mt=&g=&se=&mi=14&c=&wi=&sw=

You seem to be looking into the world of NCLT (Non-Circulating Legal Tender) coins. I salute you, as many of these coins lack a mintmark or any indication of where they came from.

My only advice to you is to look at the certificates of authenticity, as they sometimes list the mint.
Master Coin Referee
Coin referee for CRI, GTM, HND, NIC, PAN, and SLV.

Revisor principal de monedas
Revisor de Numista para monedas de CRI, GTM, HND, NIC, PAN y SLV.

Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦 and Free Palestine 🇵🇸!
Hello,

Great commentary.
Thanks again for providing clarity and additional information via the Numista links.
This forum has really helped me put it all together.

I'll be sure to check out the certificates of authentication too.

Regards,
There is a small, out of print book entitled "Foreign Coins Struck at United States Mints" by Altz and Barton (1965), which lists all the coins minted in U. S. mints from 1876 through 1963.

In the Appendix to this book, it lists coins minted in private mints in the USA for the same time period. (Franklin Mint did not mint coins until 1969, so their issues are not in the book.)

The following Haitian coins were minted in Waterbury, Connecticut by the Scovill Manufacturing Company:
5 centimes 1904 and 1905
10 centimes 1906
20 centimes 1907
50 centimes 1907 and 1908

Largely on the basis of the data in this book (the U. S. Mint data was gleaned from Mint Reports), PCGS has established two Registry Sets. The set for coins from the private mints is called the "Appendix Set".

You cannot always count on mintmarks to be truthful. The Dominican Republic coins of 1897 all show the A mintmark for Paris. The DIES were made in Paris, but all the coins were minted in Philadelphia! Likewise, the Mexico 20 centavos 1907 curved 7 coins all have the Mo mintmark for Mexico City, but they were minted in the New Orleans Mint.
Thanks for this information and resource reference on Coinage from Haiti made by US mints, Waterbury and Scovill. On realizing that specific information regarding mint locations and engravers is not well documented, I have sought to learn as many details as possible.

I learned that the majority of the Commemorative Silver and Gold coins minted from 1967-1970 were struck either in France or Italy. The "IC" mark on the Reverse of many of the coins 10,20,25 50, 100 & 200 Gourdes signals the "Italcambio" mint of Italy.
The 1977 Human Rights silver coin was minted in Switzerland... and the 1981 Journee Mondiale De L’alimentation was minted in Rome with a mint mark "R" and engraved by S. Giandomenico. Additionally, all Haitian coins minted in the 19th century were minted in France, many carrying the "A" mint mark.
Unfortunately there does not seem to be a reference source where all this information can be confirmed. One must piece the information together via several sources.

I would love to know who the artists/engravers were who designed and created the various coins. In addition to Giandomenico, it's been noted that Italian medalist Laura Cretara engraved (2) Haitian coins, but I cannot confirm.

Your reply and this forum is appreciated. If there is any other information, clarifications that come your way, please share.

Thanks,
For Haitian coinage from about 1780 to 1809, look in "Monnaies Coloniales Francaises 1670 - 1988" by Gadoury and Cousinie.

You will find the listings under Saint Domingue.


Last year, I acquired a very early, very scarce coin of Haiti--1802. I later was able to acquire a small book on Haitian coins, but the book begins with the year after my coin! That book is "Coins of Haiti 1803 - 1970" by Carmen Arroyo. (I have not seen much information in this one, beyond what is already available in the Krause catalogs.

You might be able to acquire the books on Amazon, or you may be able to borrow them through the inter-library loan system.

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