Turks & Caicos ¼-CROWN (KM51)¶
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Reverse: SPINY LOBSTER
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Obverse: Queen Elizabeth II
- Composition
- Copper-nickel
- Country
- Turks & Caicos Islands
- Approx. Size
- 24.2mm
- Area
- Caribbean
- Animal Class
- Arthropods
- Species
- Spiny Lobster
- KM#
- 51
Spiny Lobsters (aka Rock Lobsters) are actually about 45 different species in the family Palinuridae. They sort of look like "real" lobsters, but actually they are not even closely related. However, like True Lobsters, they are edible and are a major food export in the area.
Turks & Caicos Islands¶
- Area
- Caribbean
The Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Overseas Territory consisting of two groups of tropical islands in the West Indies. Geographically, they are part of the Bahamas Islands, but remain policitally separate. They are known for tourism and as an offshore financial centre. The islands are a favourite destination of many Canadians, and in 1917 Canadian Prime Minister Robert Borden proposed annexing the islands. The issue has come up repeatedly through the years, with Turks & Caicos support for the idea of joining Canada as a new province reaching 90% in the 1990s (but dropping to 60% in 2003). In 2004, the province of Nova Scotia voted to invite the Turks & Caicos to join Canada as part of that province, to bypass the consitutional problems. As recently as 2009, the Canadian goverment is apparently still interested in exploring these possibilities.
