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CULION LEPER COLONY COINAGE - PALAWAN
Philippine Culion Leper Colony Coins
Between 1902 and 1904, the Commission of Public Health supervised the establishment of a leper colony on Culion Island in the China Sea, some miles southeast of Manila.
A decision to provide the colony with its own coins, valid only for use on the island, was delayed until 1913 when the first series, made by a private firm, Frank & Co., in Manila was introduced. Later issues were struck at the Manila Mint after it went into operation in 1920.
In all, there were six dated issues and a total of 16 varieties made for the Culion leper colony. Two have special features which call for note. The probability is that the half centavo, issued only in 1913, was not put into circulation. I have handled over a thousand of these coins and all have been in uncirculated condition. By unofficial report 2,000 of the 1930 one-centavo pieces were minted. However, none are known to exist in any collection and its seems unlikely that any were actually issued.
The civil government of the Philippines issued an Executive Order creating a leper colony on the remote island of Culion, in the northernmost chain of Palawan islands, which was referred to at that time as the “Island of the Living Dead.”
The first contingent of 670 leper patients were brought from the province of Cebu, and subsequently from other areas, eventually creating one of the largest Leprosaria in the world. Inadequate facilities created extremely poor living conditions for the patients.
With only a 100-bed hospital, most lived in small bamboo huts. Those more able-bodied patients engaged in crude agriculture and fishing. Except for those who started families in the colony, patients were separated from relatives and the rest of society and lived in isolation and poverty.
Modern Medicine: By the 1920’s, modern medicine began to reduce active leprosy among the population, although hundreds of residents still suffered from the results of the disease.
In 1964, the Liberalization Act was passed, prohibiting the admission of early active cases of leprosy, and reducing the jurisdiction of the Department of Health over the islands. After this time, Culion was inundated by settlers, primarily non-lepers (“sanos”) who were families and friends of the patients, and government employees.
While the pain of separation was eased by this flood of immigration, the natural resources were rapidly depleted. The government acted in 1974 to revert Culion into a reservation under the full administration of the Department of Health. This law did not remove any residents, however, and the non-patient population continued to grow, while the patient population dwindled.
As the community progressed, positive changes were made, and the former leper colony became a Municipality in 1999, a time of progress and modernization throughout the Philippines.
A decision to provide the colony with its own coins, valid only for use on the island, was delayed until 1913 when the first series, made by a private firm, Frank & Co., in Manila was introduced. Later issues were struck at the Manila Mint after it went into operation in 1920.
In all, there were six dated issues and a total of 16 varieties made for the Culion leper colony. Two have special features which call for note. The probability is that the half centavo, issued only in 1913, was not put into circulation. I have handled over a thousand of these coins and all have been in uncirculated condition. By unofficial report 2,000 of the 1930 one-centavo pieces were minted. However, none are known to exist in any collection and its seems unlikely that any were actually issued.
The civil government of the Philippines issued an Executive Order creating a leper colony on the remote island of Culion, in the northernmost chain of Palawan islands, which was referred to at that time as the “Island of the Living Dead.”
The first contingent of 670 leper patients were brought from the province of Cebu, and subsequently from other areas, eventually creating one of the largest Leprosaria in the world. Inadequate facilities created extremely poor living conditions for the patients.
With only a 100-bed hospital, most lived in small bamboo huts. Those more able-bodied patients engaged in crude agriculture and fishing. Except for those who started families in the colony, patients were separated from relatives and the rest of society and lived in isolation and poverty.
Modern Medicine: By the 1920’s, modern medicine began to reduce active leprosy among the population, although hundreds of residents still suffered from the results of the disease.
In 1964, the Liberalization Act was passed, prohibiting the admission of early active cases of leprosy, and reducing the jurisdiction of the Department of Health over the islands. After this time, Culion was inundated by settlers, primarily non-lepers (“sanos”) who were families and friends of the patients, and government employees.
While the pain of separation was eased by this flood of immigration, the natural resources were rapidly depleted. The government acted in 1974 to revert Culion into a reservation under the full administration of the Department of Health. This law did not remove any residents, however, and the non-patient population continued to grow, while the patient population dwindled.
As the community progressed, positive changes were made, and the former leper colony became a Municipality in 1999, a time of progress and modernization throughout the Philippines.
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First issue - 1913
1913 - 1/2 Half CentavoOBV: Culion Leper Colony/1/2/Centavo/Philippine Islands.
REV: Bureau of Health/a caduceus/the date, 1913. Aluminum, 19mm, made by Frank & Co. (No mintmark) 17,000 struck G-VG $1.00 F-VF $1.25 EF $ 1.50 Unc. $2.50 1 One Centavo 1913Obv/Rev Similar, but One Centavo.
Aluminum, 23mm, 32,500 struck G-VG 1.00 F-VF 4.00 EF 15.00 Unc. 25.00 5 Five Centavos 1913Obv/Rev Similar, but Five Centavos.
Aluminum, 26mm, 6,000 struck G-VG 2.50 F-VF 10.00 EF 20.00 Unc. 35.00 10 Ten Centavos 1913Obv/Rev Similar, but Ten Centavos.
Aluminum, 29mm, 6,000 struck G-VG 2.50 F-VF 10.00 EF 20.00 Unc. 35.00 20 Twenty Centavos 1913Obv/Rev Similar, but Twenty Centavos.
Aluminum, 32mm, 10,000 struck G-VG 2.50 F-VF 10.00 EF 20.00 Unc. 30.00 1 One peso 1913Obv/Rev Similar, but One Peso (thick planchet)
Aluminum, 35mm, 8,600 struck G-VG 3.00 F-VF 4.00 EF 7.50 Unc. 25.00 Similar to thin planchet. |
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Second issue - 1920
10 Ten Centavos 1920OBV: Culion Leper Colony/10/Centavos/Philippine Islands.
REV: Bureau of Health/a caduceus/the date, 1920. Aluminum, 29mm, 20,000 struck Manila Mint (No mintmark) G-VG $2.00 F-VF $5.00 EF $9.00 Unc. $25.00 20 Twenty Centavos 1920Obv/Rev Similar to above, but Twenty Centavos.
Aluminum, 32mm, 10,000 struck G-VG 3.00 F-VF 7.50 EF 12.50 Unc. 25.00 1 One peso 1920Obv/Rev Similar, but One Peso.
Aluminum, 35mm, 4,000 struck G-VG 4.00 F-VF 10.00 EF 17.50 Unc. 35.00 |
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Third issue - 1922
20 Twenty Centavos 1922OBV: Culion Leper Colony/20/Centavos/Philippine Islands.
REV: Philippine Health Service/a caduceus in center/1922. Copper-nickel, 32mm, Manila Mint (Mintmark monogram PM on obverse.) 10,155 struck G-VG $2.00 F-VF $3.50 EF $ 8.50 Unc. $20.00 1 One peso 1922Obv/Rev Similar, but One Peso.
35mm, PM Mintmark, 8,280 struck G-VG 2.50 F-VF 4.50 EF 8.00 Unc. 20.00 Obv/Rev Similar to One Peso, but the caduces has a curved wing. G-VG 4.00 F-VF 7.00 EF 12.50 Unc. 30.00 |
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Fourth issue - 1925
1 One peso 1925OBV: Culion Leper Colony/Bust of Jose Rizal in center/Philippine Islands.
REV: Philippine Health Service/Coat of arms in center/1925/One Peso. Copper-nickel, 35mm, Manila Mint (Mintmarks P and M for Philippine Mint, under each star to left and right of date.) 20,000 struck G-VG $1.75 F-VF $3.00 EF $5.00 Unc. $15.00 |
Fifth issue - 1927
1 One Centavo 1927 (1st Die)OBV: Culion Leper Colony/Bust of A. Mabini in center/Philippine Islands.
REV: Philippine Health Service/Coat of arms in center/1925/One Centavo. Copper-nickel, 30mm, Manila Mint G-VG $2.00 F-VF $4.50 EF $8.00 Unc. $20.00 1 One Centavo 1927 (2nd Die)Similar above except weaker strike.
The legend on the seal is not readable and there is only one button on Mabini's coat. G-VG $2.00 F-VF $4.50 EF $9.00 Unc. $25.00 5 Five Centavo 1927Similar above, but with bust of Jose Rizal.
25mm, 16,000 struck. G-VG $2.50 F-VF $5.00 EF $10.00 Unc. $20.00 |
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Sixth issue - 1930
1 One Centavo 1930OBV: Bust of Jose Rizal in inner center.
REV: Philippine Health Service/Leper Coin One Centavo. Copper-nickel, Manila Mint (No mintmark) (See introductory note). 10 Ten Centavos 1930Similar above, but 10 Centavos and bust of A. bonifacio
Copper-nickel, 27mm, 17,000 struck. G-VG $1.50 F-VF $3.00 EF $5.00 Unc. $15.00 |
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