Vanuatu, in the Melanesia region of Oceania, has issued coins inscribed “RIPABLIK BLONG VANUATU” since shortly after its 1980 independence. Vanuatu was formerly known as New Hebrides, and under that name was jointly controlled by Britain and France. The French influence has lasted on some of Vanuatu’s coins, with the occasional French version of the denomination included. Usually, Vanuatu coins use a numeral and the word “vatu”, i.e. “1 VATU”.
Denominations of Vanuatu coins
The unit of currency on Vanuatu coins is the vatu. Interestingly, there is no sub-unit of the vatu. The different denominations of coins that have been issued in the relatively brief era of Vanuatu coins are:
Vatu coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 10000
The 10,000-vatu coin was a one-off issued as a silver proof in 1981 — it is one of the coins that has used French (“DIX MILLE VATU”). In addition to that silver coin, there have been numerous other Vanuatu coins issued in silver and even in gold that commemorate various subjects. Collectors of silver and/or gold coins, of interesting Oceania coins, or of coins that can be used as investments should have some Vanuatu coins in their collections!