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United States Coinage for the Philippine Islands: The Commonwealth Reverse Ten Centavos of 1937 - 1945

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JAA

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Today's Journal entry is the tenth installment in my weekly series on the United States coinage for the Philippine Islands. The ninth of the twenty slots that compose a NGC USA-Philippines Type Set is the Commonwealth Reverse Ten Centavos of 1937 - 1945.

The "Commonwealth Reverse" Ten Centavos of 1937 - 1945 is the same size (16.5 mm) and weight (2.0 grams [30.86 grains] of .750 fineness silver [ASW 0.0482 oz]) as the "Reduced Size & Weight" Ten Centavos of 1907 - 1935 and uses the same obverse design.

The Ten Centavos obverse was designed by Filipino artist Melicio Figueroa and engraved by U.S. Mint Chief Engraver Charles Barber. The design features a young Filipino woman standing to the right in a flowing dress while striking an anvil with a hammer held in her right hand, the left hand is raised and holding an olive branch. In the background is a billowing volcano. The obverse carries the inscriptions "Ten Centavos" and "Filipinas" (Spanish for Philippines).

 

In 1935 the United States Congress granted the Philippines Commonwealth Status and promised independence in 1946. To reflect the new status of the Philippines as a self governing Commonwealth, the reverse design of all regular issue USA-Philippines coins was changed in 1937 to depict the official seal of the "Commonwealth of the Philippines".

Design elements of the "Commonwealth Reverse" incorporate the rich history of the Philippines. The eagle perched atop the shield, of course, represents the United States. The shield used was an adaptation of a design used for the official seal of The Government of the Philippine Islands which appeared on Philippine paper money starting in 1905 (Allen 2008). The three stars at the top of the shield represent the three main geographical regions of the Philippines: Luzon, Mindanao, and the Visayas. The oval in the center of the shield depicts a modification of the Coat of Arms of the City of Manila which dates to 1596. A castle surmounted by a crown is in the upper portion of the oval. The mythical creature in the lower part of the oval is a half lion and half dolphin holding a sword with guard and hilt. The lettering on the Scroll beneath the shield reads "Commonwealth of the Philippines".

The 1937 and 1938 Ten Centavos were struck at the Manila mint. No Ten Centavos were produced in 1939 and 1940. Ten Centavo production resumed at the Manila mint in 1941. All of the Ten Centavos struck at the Manila mint have an "M" Mint Mark on the reverse to the left of the date. The mint-mark that was used for the 1937 and 1941 coins has a wide M with the middle point not coming down to the base of the two legs. The 1938 mint mark uses a narrower M with the midpoint even with legs.

No Ten Centavos were produced anywhere during 1942 through 1943 due to the Japanese occupation of the Philippines.

During the 1942 through 1944 Japanese occupation of the Philippines, nearly all coins disappeared from circulation. In the occupied areas the Japanese collected all of the coins, melted them down, and shipped them back to Japan. The few pre-war coins that escaped the melting pots were horded and hid away until after the war. Most daily commerce was conducted with low denomination paper currency (Emergency or Guerilla Currency) printed by Guerrilla military units, local municipalities, or Military and Civilian Currency Boards authorized by General MacArthur or the Commonwealth government-in-exile under President Quezon.

During the Japanese occupation there was a very active resistance movement in the Philippines, and allied intelligence was very much aware, of the economic situation in the islands and the need to bring new coins and currency with them when they liberated the Philippines.

In preparation for General MacArthur's return to the Philippines, the Treasury Department ordered the Denver Mint to strike millions of Ten Centavos coins. The Denver Mint struck 31.592 million Ten Centavos in 1944 and an impressive 137.208 million in 1945. When American forces liberated the Philippines in 1944 - 1945 they brought with them the Victory Coins produced in the continental United States. The coins struck at the Denver mint have a D Mint Mark on the reverse to the left of the date.

Mintage figures for the Commonwealth Reverse Ten Centavos are as follows: 1937-M (3,500,000), 1938-M (3,750,000), 1941-M (2,500,000), 1944-D (31,592,000), and 1945-D (137,208,000).

The Commonwealth Reverse Ten Centavos has six recognized die varieties. They are: 1944-D/D (Allen number 9.02a), 1944-D/D/D (Allen number 9.04aa), 1944-D Repunched Date (Allen number 9.04b), 1945-D/D (Allen number 9.05a), 1945-D Doubled Die Reverse Variety #1(Allen number 9.05b), and 1945-D Doubled Die Reverse Variety #2 (Allen number 9.05c).

Strike Issues: The Commonwealth Reverse Ten Centavos is plagued with strike issues and well struck examples of this common type coin are a challenge to locate. According to the classical reference book "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands" by Neil Shafer: "Obverses almost always show part of the bust struck flat, especially the left side; along with this may be found flattening of the hair and left arm. Most reverses do not have detailed Coat-of-Arms, and the ribbon often is half legible. Many coins of 1944-45 lack detail and clarity on obverses, while reverses remain about the same as before. (Shafer 1961, p.38-39)

Gem quality examples of this type coin from the pre-war years (1937-M, 1938-M, and 1941-M) are moderately priced and generally can be purchased for under a hundred dollars in MS65. Many uncirculated rolls of 1944-D and 1945-D Ten Centavos were saved and raw Gem quality examples of those dates are abundant and quite inexpensive ($10.00 - $15.00). Certified examples of the war-time Ten Centavos in MS65 and MS66 are regularly seen in Philippine coin auctions and on e-Bay and can be purchased for very reasonable prices. For example, at the present time there are three 1944-D NGC MS66 Ten Centavos listed on eBay with "Buy it Now" prices between $45.00 and $65.00.

The attached picture shows my 1941-M NGC MS66 Ten Centavos. This specimen has deep proof-like fields and is one of the best struck examples of this type coin that I have seen. Unfortunately, my picture really does not do the coin justice.

To see my Ten Centavos Registry Set click here: http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/registry/coins/SetListing.aspx?PeopleSetID=51346&;Ranking=ngc

To see the other coins that comprise an NGC USA-Philippines Type Set visit my award winning (2011 Best Presented Set Award) USA-Philippines Type Set at: http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/registry/coins/SetListing.aspx?PeopleSetID=51257&;Ranking=ngc

An expanded version of the USA-Philippines Type Set is found in my Custom USA-Philippines Type Set at: http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/WCM/CoinCustomSetView.aspx?s=9238

Next week's installment will feature the Twenty Centavos of 1903 - 1906.

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