Guernsey Coins

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Obverse of 1977 Guernsey 25 Pence silver coin

Reverse of 1977 Guernsey 25 Pence silver coin

Medieval History
Until 933 A.D. Guernsey was part of the Duchy of Brittany. It was then annexed by William I, Duke of Normandy. When William II of Normandy invaded and conquered England in 1066, the Duchy of Normandy (including Guernsey) became associated with the English Crown. The continental Duchy of Normandy was confiscated by the King of France in 1204, and its possession by the French Crown was recognised by the English in 1259, although the Channel Islands remained in English hands as part of the Duchy.
During the Middle Ages and England's many wars with France, Guernsey was subjected to raids and invasions on many occasions, particularly during the 100 years’ war.

Early Modern History
During the English Civil War, the Channel Islanders turned against their Duke by siding with the Parliamentarians, although Castle Cornet was held by a Royalist Garrison until 1651, when Guernsey Parliamentarians bombarded it into surrender. During the many wars England (and later Britain) fought with France and Spain, Guernsey profited as a base for local merchant ship-owners who obtained letters of marque and reprisal and turned their vessels into privateer ships to capture enemy merchantmen.
A prominent Channel Islander, William Lacheur, made a notable contribution to Costa Rican history by introducing Protestantism, developing the coffee industry, and using his ships to repel the forces of William Walker, and American adventurer who tried to take over the country in 1856.

Occupation and Aftermath
Guernsey was occupied by German troops following the fall of France in June 1940. Britain had already abandoned the Channel Islands by the time the Germans had arrived because they were judged to be too difficult to defend due to their close proximity to the French mainland. During the course of the occupation, the Germans built a chain of fortifications and bunkers around the island, however, the allies simply bypassed the islands and Guernsey was not liberated until after the war had ended in May 1945.
The evacuation of almost all children of school age prior to the German invasion meant that the local dialect suffered a decline, as the language was not passed on in England.

Coinage of Guernsey
Although Guernsey has been a British Crown possession since the Middle Ages, French currency was for a long time predominant in Guernsey, as France was Guernsey's most important trading partner. The French livre remained legal tender in Guernsey until 1834, long after it had ceased to be issued in France itself in 1795. In 1830, copper coins, called doubles, were issued and valued at 1/80th of a French franc, and was also worth 3 deniers under the old French livre system.
Coins of 1, 2, 4 and 8 doubles were issued. 8 doubles was equal to 1 Guernsey Penny, 12 of which made up a Guernsey shilling. However, the Guernsey shilling was worth slightly less than a British one, as the exchange rate was 1 Guernsey shilling = 1.2 French francs, compared to 1 British shilling = 1.26 francs.
In 1870, sterling coins were made legal tender on the island, valued at 1 shilling sterling = 12.5 Guernsey pence. In 1921, following a devaluation in the French franc, the Guernsey pound was made equivalent to the Sterling pound, with Guernsey pennies upgraded to the value of a British penny. Since that day, Guernsey currency has been equal to the British pound, and Jersey has issued coins of the same size and denominations as those of the UK.

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Guernsey Coins

Guernsey Gold Coins