Currency of a Liberated Land
Reserved Personally For:
The London Mint Office is offering you the opportunity to commemorate the 35th Anniversary of the Falklands Conflict with a special coin, banknote and stamp collection.
The Right to Live in Peace
The last invasion of sovereign British territory began on the 2nd April 1982 as hundreds of armed soldiers stormed onto the Falkland Islands and brought 150 years of continuous British administration to an abrupt end. The islands shocked inhabitants suddenly found themselves caught up in a totalitarian nightmare, controlled by an unstable military dictatorship that had already murdered thirty-thousand critics of their regime in Argentina.
Suddenly, a long running territorial dispute between Britain and Argentina was transformed into a major international crisis.
On the other side of the world, the British response was swift. Within hours of the invasion a major task force had begun sailing towards the South Atlantic. Over the next ten weeks the British campaign to liberate the islanders became headline news around the world.
The Circulating Coins of the Falkland Islands
Each of the eight circulating coins of the Falkland Islands feature a portrait of Her Majesty the Queen on the obverse, a powerful and enduring symbol of the resolve of the islanders to maintain their British identity. The reverse designs are all unique to the islands and feature Gentoo penguins (1p), the Upland goose (2p), the Black-browed albatross (5p), South American sea-lions (10p), Sheep (20p), the Falkland Islands wolf (50p), coat of arms (£1) and map (£2).
Each coin is presented in uncirculated condition on an informative blister card.
The 1983 Anniversary Banknote
In 1983, the Government of the Falkland Islands issued a £5 banknote to commemorate both their 150th Anniversary and also the first anniversary of their liberation.
The note proudly displays a portrait of Her Majesty the Queen, the rightfully reaffirmed Head of State and is adorned with images of penguins, sea lions, the coat of arms, Government House and Christ Church Cathedral. It also bears the date 14th June 1983, marking the first anniversary of the end of the Falklands Conflict.
Each beautifully preserved original banknote has been encapsulated in a clear acrylic display case, enabling you to observe every fine detail whilst simultaneously preserving its quality for future generations.
Yours to Own For Free – An Original 1982 Occupation Stamp
Order the coins of the Falkland Islands together with the 1983 Anniversary banknote and you will receive a very special historical artefact from the 1982 Conflict free of charge with your purchase.
During the Argentine military occupation, acting Governor General Mario Menéndez arranged for thousands of Argentine stamps to be overprinted with the words “LAS MALVINAS SON ARGENTINAS", which can be translated as ‘The Falkland Islands are Argentine”. The stamps were intended to be used by the islanders to remind them that they were now living on Argentine land, but given the relatively short time it took the British to liberate them, many were never used.
Today, each unused stamp bears silent witness to the failed Argentine occupation, the successful liberation of the islanders by the British and the seventy-four days which shook the world.
