Philippines Asia, Middle East Coins: World Coins & Paper Money

The front of coins minted for the Philippines changed very little between 1903 and 1945. The 1⁄2 centavo, one centavo, and five centavo coins illustrate a Filipino man kneeling against an anvil, with a hammer at his side. In the background, a volcano, Mt. Mayon, simmers, emitting smoke rings. The illustration depicts allegorically the hard work by the native people of the Philippines in building their own future. The front of the Philippines 10, 20, 50 centavo, and peso coins are similar, but they show the figure of Liberty, a standing female figure in the act of striking the anvil. Many believe the female figure to be the daughter of the designer, a girl named Blanca. This design is intended to show the work by Americans in building a better Philippines. Liberty appears only on the silver coins, not the base metal coins.

 

The backs of the coins show two types of illustration. The earliest coins were minted when the islands were a US Territory. They show the coat of arms of the US Territories. When the islands became a US Commonwealth, the arms of the Commonwealth were replaced the coat of arms of the US Territories.