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Guernsey eight doubles coin

Contributed by ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Guernsey Candie Museum Outside Broadcast

Guernsey eight doubles coin

David Lane came to ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Guernsey's outside broadcast event at the Guernsey Museum with a coin that denotes the island's economic and cultural position between England and France.

The value of the coin is eight "doubles" - pronounced "doob" in Guernsey's own language, guernesiaise. The language is very closely related to Norman French and is very similar to that still spoken in parts of Normandy.

Eight doubles was the equivalent of one penny sterling in 1959, when the coin was minted.

On the face of the coin is a depiction of a 'Guernsey Lily'. David also brought in a book entitled 'Guernsey Maritime Trade' by Rosemary de Saumarez which explains the island's adoption of the plant as an emblem:

"A native of Table Mountain, South Africa, the plant reached Guernsey in about 1655, on board a ship of the Dutch East India Company, homeward bound from China / Japan, when about six bulbs were given to Jurat John de Saumarez by a crew member. Local legend has it that the ship was wrecked but it is more likely that Guernsey's position on ancient trade routes was the reason."

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