Description
The gourde is the official currency in Haiti since 1813 when the livre was replaced. In 1881, coins of 1, 2, 10, 20 and 50 centimes and 1 gourde were introduced, followed by 5 centimes coin in 1889. But, in the 1890s were withdrawn the 1, 2 centimes and 1 gourde coins. Then, in 1949 the 5 and 10 centimes coins were issued, followed by 20 centimes coin in 1956, 50 centimes in 1972 and 1 and 5 gourdes in 1995.
The 20 Haitian Centimes coin front design features Charlemagne Péralte (1886 – 1919), who was a Haitian nationalist leader who opposed the United States occupation of Haiti in 1915. The reverse coin design has the National Coat of Arms (consists of a palm tree with a Phrygian cap on top, six flags, a tree on each side, a palm tree and cannons, a drum, bungle, long guns, and ship anchors. The motto: French: L’Union fait la force (“Unity makes strength”) and the denomination. This coin is part of the 1995 – 2000 series, its rim is plain, and its color is silver.
Text: République D’haïti, Liberté Égalité Fraternité, 20, 1995.