Gibraltar 1-PENNY¶
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Reverse BARBARY MACAQUE
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Obverse Duke of Normandy
- Country
- Gibraltar
- Approx. Size
- 20.5mm
- Area
- Europe
- Animal Class
- Mammals
- Species
- Barbary Macaque
- KM#
- 0
The Barbary Macaque is often called a Barbary Ape, but it is not. An ape, that is. The Barbary Macque is a true monkey, but it has no tail. (Perhaps that is why it gets confused with apes.) Barbary Macaques are the only other primate -- besides humans -- that live freely in Europe. This coin celebrates 300 years of British possession of Gibraltar.
Gibraltar¶
- Area
- Europe
Gibraltar is 6.4 sq.km. British colony located on the southern most tip of Spain at the western opening to the Mediterranean Sea. It is this location that gives it stategic significance, and has caused many scuffles over its possession. Gibraltar was first fortified by the Muslims who took it from Spain in 711. It would take until 1309 for Spain to get it back, only to lose it 24 years later to the Moors. This time, it only took Spain 123 years to get it back and they hung on until 1704, when they lost it to British and Dutch forces during the Spanish War of Succession. Britain has hung onto Gibraltar ever since. Apparently Spain has tried to take it back by being not-so-nice to the inhabitants of Gibraltar, but it didn't work out too well. In 1967 the inhabitants of Gibraltar voted 12,138 to 44 to remain under British rule. A little upset with the result, Spain completely closed the border and severed all communications. It would take until 1985 for the border to be fully reopened. Later talks suggested joint sovereignty between Spain and the UK, but Gibraltar voters rejected that idea, this time by 17,900 votes to 187. Geographically, Gibraltar is a fabulous rock rising out of the Mediterranean and is identified in Greek Mythology as one of the pillars of Hercules.
