1908 US Philippines One Peso Coin


The Philippines was ceded to the United States as part of the settlement between Spain and the United States at the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898. During the United States administration, Congress was responsible for issuing coinage. By an act passed March 2, 1903, a new currency system based on a theoretical peso of 12.9 grains of gold 900 fine, equivalent to one-half of a United States gold dollar. The circulating medium was to be the Philippine silver peso, which was to be legal tender for all debts, public and private, and its value was to be maintained on a parity with the theoretical gold peso. For this purpose the creation of a gold standard, or gold reserve fund, was provided for, and this fund was to be maintained and could be used for no other purpose.
The first U.S./Philippine coins were minted in 1903 in Philadelphia and San Francisco and bear both the Identities of the United States and "Filipinas" (Spanish for The Philippines).

Above images shows the 1908 US Philippines One Peso Coin of San Francisco mint. Designed by Melecio Figueroa. The obverse of the coin has the written denomination “ONE PESO” on it, along with “FILIPINAS”. It shows the figure of Liberty, a standing female figure, which is considered by many to be the daughter of the designer “Blanca”, in the the act of striking the anvil with a hammer. This was done to show the work being done by Americans in building a better Philippines. On the right side there is a simmering volcano, Mt. Mayon, topped with smoked rings.

The reverse of the coins bear the arms of US territories. This is a broadwinged eagle, sitting atop a shield divided into two registers. The upper register has 13 stars, the lower register has 13 vertical stripes. The date (1908) appears at the bottom with mint mark on the left side (s-San Francisco mint), and “United States of America” appears at the top.
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