When America Struck Philippine Coins

As we approached the 20th Century, the United States was experiencing growing pains. In 1895, we were still a young nation, not even 120 years old. But problems were occurring right here in our own Hemisphere.

Spain had enjoyed a foothold in the Americas for over four hundred years. Their early explorers had laid claim to vast amounts of land in the United States, Mexico, and Central and South America.

But by 1895 Cuban Nationalists were upset with Spain and were encouraging their fellow Cubans to seek independence. This fervor was not confined to Cuba. Spanish rule was resented in Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Guam, and in the few remaining Spanish colonies.

Spain was losing control of their ‘empire,’ while America’s power and influence were on the rise. In January of 1898, the United States Navy sent the USS Maine, an armored cruiser, into Havana Harbor as a show of strength, and to protect American citizens and businesses in Cuba.

On the evening of February 15, 1898, a mysterious explosion sank the ship, and 268 American sailors were killed. Before the Board of Inquiry even determined who was responsible, American newspapers blamed Spain. The Board blamed a mine in the harbor, and it was believed that Spain was the likely culprit. Possibly, it was the spontaneous combustion of coal dust that this ship used for power, but even today, the debate still rages.

But the American newspapers had riled up America with headlines like “Remember the Maine,” which became a war cry. America rallied after the Maine disaster, and on April 21, 1898, the U.S. Navy blockaded Cuba. That act caused Spain and the United States to declare war on one another. Less than two weeks later, a squadron of American warships, under the command of Admiral George E. Dewey, decimated the Spanish Fleet in Manila Bay in the Philippines, and U.S. Marines, led by Colonel Teddy Roosevelt, gained fame by leading his “Rough Riders” on a charge up San Juan Hill, capturing Santiago de Cuba.

The tide of the war was in America’s favor. On June 20th, Guam surrendered, and an armistice that ended the war in Puerto Rico was signed on August 13th. On December 10, 1898, the United States and the Kingdom of Spain signed the Treaty of Paris. The treaty gave ownership of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippine Islands to the United States. Cuba became a U. S. Protectorate and an independent state in 1902. Spain had been profoundly defeated, and America’s emergence as a true world superpower was undeniable.

As the United States took control of the Philippines, the United States Congress enacted the Philippine Coinage Act of 1903. This legislation established a new currency system based on the United States gold standard. This system was devised by Charles Conant and signed into law by President Teddy Roosevelt.

This act eliminated the existing Spanish coinage in use in the Philippine Islands. It established a gold Peso, which was never actually coined. It was to be struck out of .900 fine gold and equal to exactly half of the value of an American Silver dollar. Additionally, the creation and striking of Philippine Silver Pesos occurred and, although they had the same weight and fineness as the Mexican silver peso, these Philippine coins had the exact value of 50 United States cents. The Act also provided for the striking of six different minor coins—Half Centavo, One Centavo, Five Centavos, Ten Centavos, Twenty Centavos, and Fifty Centavos—as well as the issuance of paper silver certificates. This money was now the legal tender for the Philippine Islands.

This new Philippine coinage was exchangeable for United States currency at the rate of two Philippine Pesos to one United States Dollar. The coinage was designed by artist Melecio Figueroa, were struck and introduced to the public in 1903.

The obverse of the lower denomination coins depicted a Filipino man kneeling against an anvil, with a hammer resting at his side. He is positioned on the left side of the coin, while on the right side of the coin is a depiction of an active volcano, Mount Mayon, with smoke coming from it. On the upper periphery is the denomination “HALF CENTAVO,” while on the lower periphery is the name “FILIPINAS,” which is Philippines in Spanish. This obverse depiction was meant to symbolize the arduous work of the Filipino people in determining their future and destiny.

The reverse depicted a stylized American Bald Eagle perched on top of a patriotic shield. There are two registers on the shield itself. The upper register contains thirteen five-pointed stars, while the lower periphery has thirteen stripes. Around the upper periphery is “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” and on the lower periphery is the date.

Between 1903 and 1919, these coins were all struck at either the Philadelphia Mint, without a mintmark, or at the San Francisco Mint, bearing a small “S” mintmark. It is interesting to note that these coins had, essentially, a Philippine side and an American side. The “American Side” of these coins was likely designed by Charles E. Barber, the sixth Chief Engraver of the United States Mint. The eagle on shield motif that appears on these coins is identical to many of the pattern coin designs that are attributable to Barber.

The Half Centavo coin was struck from 1903 to 1908, and they were made of bronze (75% copper and 25% nickel) with a diameter of 17.5mm. In 1903, both Uncirculated and Proof coins were struck. In 1904, again, both Mint State and Proof coins were struck. These coins were summarily rejected by the populace, perhaps based on very limited buying power, and coins for circulation were discontinued after 1904. Proof coins for collectors were made in 1904, 1905, 1906, and 1908.

The One Centavo coin shares the same design as the Half Centavo, except for, obviously, the denomination. The diameter of the One Centavo coin measured 24mm in size. This denomination was stuck from 1903 until 1936. 1903, 1904, and 1905-dated coins were struck in both Mint State and Proof. 1906 and 1908 dated coins were only struck in Proof. But also in 1908, the first “S” mint centavos were struck at the San Francisco Mint. There is a scarce variety of these 1908-S coins, where the “S” mintmark was struck over a smaller “S” mintmark.

The San Francisco Mint struck coins for circulation between 1908 and 1920. In 1925, the Manila Mint took over production of all One Centavo coins and they all bear an “M” mintmark.

One of the first products that commemorated the opening of the Manila Mint on July 5, 1920 was a ‘so-called’ Wilson Dollar. This was the first and only time that the United States government established a branch mint outside of the United States. While these silver and copper medals never were granted legal tender status, both versions did circulate in the Philippines before the beginning of World War II.

The Medal features a bust of President Woodrow Wilson on the obverse, and “PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,” on the upper periphery. The reverse depicts an allegorical depiction of a kneeling figure of Justice, with scales in her right hand, while a representation of youth pouring silver from a cornucopia into a coinage press. The design was conceived by Clifford Hewitt and skillfully executed by George T. Morgan.

These Wilson So-Called Dollars had extremely low mintages—five specimens were struck in gold, 2,200 struck in silver, and 3,700 medals struck from copper. The five gold medals were awarded to dignitaries such as President Woodrow Wilson and the Governor of the Philippines.

Five Centavos coins were struck from copper-nickel between 1903 and 1935. The coins struck between 1903 and 1928 had a larger diameter of 20.5mm, while those struck from 1930 to 1935 were 19mm in diameter.

Silver coinage was struck in Ten Centavos, Twenty Centavos, Fifty Centavos, and One Peso denominations. From 1903 to 1906, the silver coins had a silver content of 90%, while those struck after 1906 had a reduced silver content of 75% for ten through fifty centavos and 80% for the peso. In both cases the silver was alloyed with copper.

The obverses depict an allegorical representation of Miss Liberty, who is shown as a standing female figure, wearing a flowing gown, with a hammer in her hand, resting it atop an anvil. Behind her is Mount Mayon, the volcanic mountain northeast of Manila. This represents America working hard to create a better life and a more successful Philippines. This design was created by Filipino sculptor Melecio Figueroa.

The reverse of these silver coins comes in two distinct styles. The earliest coins were minted when the islands were an American Territory and display an eagle with its wings extended, sitting atop a shield divided into two registers, one displaying thirteen stars, and the other thirteen vertical stripes. The date appears at the bottom, and "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" adorns the upper periphery.

When the Philippines became a United States Commonwealth, the seal was changed to that displaying a much smaller eagle, with its wings pointed up, perched over a shield with raised corners. Above, there is a scroll reading "COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES.” This was the common reverse for all circulating coinages beginning in 1937.

To commemorate the transition to Commonwealth status, a series of three silver commemorative coins was issued. All three coins are dated 1936-M. The fifty centavo piece shows facing portraits of the retiring Governor-General Frank Murphy and the newly elected President of the Philippines. Manuel Quezon. They are portrayed again, on a peso coin, in profile.

These same portraits were used for the other one peso commemorative. On the obverse of this particular coin are President Quezon of the Philippines and President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt. This is a very rare and unusual instance of a living United States president appearing on a United States coin.

During the opening months of the war in the Pacific theater, the Philippines were overrun by Japanese troops. Millions of silver Philippine coins remained in the Manila Mint. In order to prevent the capture of these silver coins, more than fifteen million pesos were hastily removed from the Manila Mint and then dumped into Manila Bay. This prevented the bulk of these coins from being captured by the occupying Japanese troops.

After the war, some of these assets would be recovered and cashed at Philippine banks. But most of the silver pesos were found to be in a badly corroded condition due to being submerged in salt water for such a long time.

The history of Philippines' coinage and their remarkably close connection to the United States Mint makes these coins a very interesting adjunct to collecting traditional American coinage.