3rd December

The coin behind door three is the Fijian 1 Cent.

The Fijian Dollar was the currency of Fiji between 1867 and 1873, and made a come back in 1969.

The reverse of the Fijian 1 Cent features the Tanoa Kava Bowl and the denomination. This traditional Fijian bowl is large and wooden and  is used during an ancient drinking ceremony, where communities use the special bowl to crush and drink the root plant Yaqona (Kava).

In 2005 the Finance Minister Ratu Jone Kubuabola announced that the 1 and 2 cent coin would be withdrawn from circulation, as the minting costs exceeded the face value of the coins. This makes this 2004 1 Cent coin one of the last ones issued, and makes it a piece of Fiji’s numismatic history.

In 2011 it was announced that Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait would no longer be featured on Fijian coinage, again making all last issues of Fijian cent coins that feature Her Majesty’s portrait sought after.

The national languages of Fiji are Fijian, English, and Fijian Hindi.