{"product_id":"sint-maarten-10-cents-2025-unc","title":"Sint Maarten 10 Cents 2025 UNC—NOT Curaçao—XCG Caribbean Guilder","description":"\u003cp\u003eA brand-new circulation coin from Sint Maarten, issued \u003cstrong\u003eMarch 31, 2025\u003c\/strong\u003e — part of the \u003cstrong\u003eCaribbean Guilder (XCG)\u003c\/strong\u003e, currently the \u003cstrong\u003eworld's newest currency\u003c\/strong\u003e. Sint Maarten and Curaçao — two separate countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands — collaborated to jointly launch this currency after a \u003cstrong\u003e15-year wait\u003c\/strong\u003e, replacing the Netherlands Antilles guilder whose issuing country had ceased to exist. Struck at the \u003cstrong\u003eRoyal Canadian Mint\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCoin Characteristics\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMint:\u003c\/strong\u003e Royal Canadian Mint, Ottawa, Canada\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuer:\u003c\/strong\u003e Jointly issued by Curaçao and Sint Maarten, two separate countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing bank:\u003c\/strong\u003e Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten (Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eKing:\u003c\/strong\u003e Willem-Alexander (2013-date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Standard circulation coin\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYear:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2025\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eValue:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10 Cents. 0.10 XCG = USD 0.056\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e Caribbean guilder (gulden), ISO code \u003cstrong\u003eXCG\u003c\/strong\u003e — the world's newest currency, launched March 31, 2025. Locals tend to call it by the ISO code rather than \"Caribbean guilder\". The USD is also commonly used on the islands — businesses catering to visitors on Sint Maarten often price in USD, so tourists may never encounter XCG coins at all.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nickel plated steel\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.9 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 18.25 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThickness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.6 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShape:\u003c\/strong\u003e Round\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTechnique:\u003c\/strong\u003e Milled\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrientation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Coin alignment ↑↓\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Segmented reeding\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssued:\u003c\/strong\u003e 31 March 2025\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOn the front (Sint Maarten version):\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe country name, \"Sint Maarten\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStylized \u003cstrong\u003eCaribbean sky and ocean waves\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrange Blossom\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eCitrus sinensis\u003c\/em\u003e) in the center — associated with good fortune, purity, virtue, and fertility across many cultures. One of the rarest flowers, the orange blossom blooms and bears fruit simultaneously, making it a symbol of fruitfulness. The royal house of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is the \u003cstrong\u003eHouse of Orange\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOn the back:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThree \u003cstrong\u003eFavoured Tellin shells\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eArcopagia fausta\u003c\/em\u003e), found throughout the Caribbean, growing up to 7 cm in diameter. Their creamy white shells are often covered with a camouflaging layer of algae and other organisms.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe denomination, centered between Caribbean sky and waves\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA constellation of \u003cstrong\u003e30 equally spaced pearls\u003c\/strong\u003e in three groups of ten — a deliberate reference to \u003cstrong\u003e10\/10\/10\u003c\/strong\u003e (October 10, 2010), when Curaçao and Sint Maarten became autonomous countries and the Caribbean Guilder was legally mandated.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eTwo Islands, One Currency — Like Euro Coins\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust as euro coins carry a country-specific design on one side but circulate freely across all eurozone countries, the Caribbean Guilder works the same way. Curaçao and Sint Maarten each issue their own versions of every coin — with different imagery on the obverse — but all coins are \u003cstrong\u003elegal tender on both islands\u003c\/strong\u003e and circulate interchangeably. This is the \u003cstrong\u003eSint Maarten version\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrom Colony to Kingdom: The Long Road to the XCG\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe story of Sint Maarten's money is inseparable from the story of Dutch Caribbean politics — a saga of colonial transformation, economic pragmatism, and bureaucratic delay.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBefore 1954:\u003c\/strong\u003e The six Dutch Caribbean islands formed the colony \u003cstrong\u003eCuraçao and Dependencies\u003c\/strong\u003e and used the \u003cstrong\u003eCuraçao Guilder\u003c\/strong\u003e, pegged to the Dutch guilder.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e1954 — Autonomy:\u003c\/strong\u003e Renamed the \u003cstrong\u003eNetherlands Antilles\u003c\/strong\u003e, the islands launched the \u003cstrong\u003eNetherlands Antilles guilder\u003c\/strong\u003e (ANG), pegged to the U.S. dollar at \u003cstrong\u003e1 USD = 1.79 ANG\u003c\/strong\u003e — a peg that held for over 70 years.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e1986 — Aruba breaks away:\u003c\/strong\u003e Aruba seceded and launched its own currency, the \u003cstrong\u003eAruban florin\u003c\/strong\u003e (AWG).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e10\/10\/10 — October 10, 2010:\u003c\/strong\u003e The Netherlands Antilles was \u003cstrong\u003edissolved\u003c\/strong\u003e. Curaçao and Sint Maarten each became separate autonomous \u003cstrong\u003ecountries\u003c\/strong\u003e within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The constitutional arrangements of that day \u003cstrong\u003elegally mandated\u003c\/strong\u003e a new joint currency. Bonaire, Saba, and St. Eustatius became special municipalities and switched to the \u003cstrong\u003eU.S. dollar\u003c\/strong\u003e in 2011.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e2010–2019 — Stalled:\u003c\/strong\u003e Despite the legal mandate, neither country moved decisively. The two continued using the Netherlands Antilles guilder — a currency whose issuing country no longer existed.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e2019 — The real turning point:\u003c\/strong\u003e Not political will, but practicality forced the issue: \u003cstrong\u003eANG banknote reserves were running low\u003c\/strong\u003e. With no mechanism to reprint a defunct currency, the two countries finally committed to proceeding with the XCG.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMarch 31, 2025 — The XCG arrives:\u003c\/strong\u003e After multiple delays, the \u003cstrong\u003eCaribbean Guilder\u003c\/strong\u003e (XCG) was finally launched, pegged to the U.S. dollar at \u003cstrong\u003e1 USD = 1.79 XCG\u003c\/strong\u003e — the same rate as the ANG it replaced. Netherlands Antilles guilders remain exchangeable through \u003cstrong\u003e2055\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"World Money Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52522258465079,"sku":"SXM-KM-010-UNC","price":1.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/57_e6ac9cc5-f485-4a91-b7a5-71b64d9f0fb8.jpg?v=1769542239","url":"https:\/\/worldmoneystore.com\/products\/sint-maarten-10-cents-2025-unc","provider":"World Money Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}