Département de la Menthe - The Tejasian currency

[TexanCowboy]

"The reputation of a country is directly related to the reputation of its currency" - Alphonse Henri in a speech to the Tejasian Grand Assembly, 1852

The Tejasian monatary system is unique, in the fact that it is directly banned by the Williams-Chopin Act of 1842 from issuing currency with instristic values any lower than 95% of the face value of the coin. Under the conditions of the same act, any form of money made out of paper, coal, or any other form of currency that is simply a placeholder for coinage. Because of these factors, the Tejasian currency has remained remarkably stable, with 1% total infation over the past 36 years. The Tejasian currency's base unit is the Thaler, which contains 100 centimes. The 1842 law also authorized the equivelent exchange of foreign currency in circulation at the time based upon bullion values for those coins made out of precious metals, and the going exchange rate for those minor circulatory coins.

Mints for the production of coinage exist in New Bordeaux (mintmark NB), Bejar (mintmark J), and Sante Fe (mintmark SF). In addition, a mint is located in the town of Waco (mintmark W) for the production of Indian currency, as specified by the terms of the treaty of New Amiens ending the Tejas-Comanche Wars in 1869.

The various denominations of Tejasian Currency are presented below:

1/2 centimine

First produced in 1827 in New Bordeaux, the current 1/2 centimine is made out of a bronze compound of 95% copper, 5% tin. It weighs approximentally 3 grams. The current issue of the 1/2 centimine is unique for being the only Tejas coin without some form of portrait or potrayal.



1 centimine

First produced in 1825 in New Bordeaux, the 1 centimine was the first form of currency produced by the Republique du la Tejas. The current 1 centimine, nicknamed "The Comanche," is produced out of a copper-nickel alloy with approximentally 88% copper and 12% nickel, weighing approximentally 4.5 grams, giving the coin a distinctive light yellow-brown appearance.



2 centimine

The 2 centimine coin is a relatively new issue, starting production in Sante Fe in 1853, and mostly seeing circulation in the western auditorios, being hoarded as a rarity in the eastern auditorios. The 2 centimine piece is made of a copper-nickel alloy of 88% copper, 12% nickel, and weighs approximentally 8 grams, giving the coin a slightly yellow-red tinge.



3 centimine

The 3 centimine coin began production in 1849 in Bejar, where a piece that could be easily exchanged for the rapidly fluctuating Mexican currency was needed. It is in common use in country towns and rural enviroments, where it is a much easier piece to use for common purchases, replacing the unpopular 5 centimine piece. The current 3 centimine piece is made out of a 40% silver, 60% magensium compound, and weighs approximentally 1.7 grams.



5 centimine

The 5 centimine coin was first minted in 1829 in New Bordeaux. It is fairly uncommon to find one of these pieces outside the major cities and eastern Tejas. The piece is fairly unpopular in rural and western locales, as it is the smallest piece Tejas has in current circulation, easily loseable and replaced, respectively, by the 3 and 2 centimine pieces. The 5 centimine piece has a weight of 1.25 grams, and is made out of .900 fine silver, with the balance being copper.



10 centimine

The ten centimine piece was first produced in 1827 in New Bordeaux, the first silver piece produced by the Republique du la Tejas. It is rumored that the first 1,000 coins were produced using silver captured from Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto. 
The ten centimine piece is in common circulation across the nation, and is currently made of .900 silver, weighing 2.5 grams.



20 centimine

The twenty centimine piece was first produced in 1861 in Sante Fe, as a unit for which 10 2 centimine pieces can be easily exchanged. It is in common circulation in the west, and pieces can be found in the east and in rural regions. It is distinguished from the twenty five centimine piece by the edge, instead of being ridged, has the inscription of the value on the edge (ignore picture, twenty cents is not on the obverse). It currently weighes 5 grams, and is composed of .900 silver.



25 centimine

The twenty five centimine piece was first produced in 1829 in New Bordeaux, and is perhaps one of the most well known and circulated pieces in the Republique du la Tejas. It is commonly used in daily use, small buisness transactions, and the like. The piece also commonly circulates in Mexico, being renown as a standard, fixed piece compared to the fluctuating Mexican peso. The quarter weighs 6.25 grams, and is composed of .900 silver.




50 centimine

The fifty centimine piece was first produced in 1832 in New Bordeaux, and is considered to be one of the most beautiful examples of coinage in the world. It is easily found in circulation, and is the typical unit of small-town bank holding and reserve. It is a common unit of trade with underdeveloped foreign countries, such as Buenos Aries and Peru, as well as with the Brazilian city states. The fifty centimine piece currently weighs 12.5 grams, and is composed of .900 silver.



1 thaler

The one thaler coin is the base unit of Tejasian currency, from which all other Tejasian currency is based off of. It is typically used in foreign trade, in rural and urban areas, and as a unit of holding for non-commercial banks. The one thaler silver coin had limited competition in the 1850s from a one thaler gold coin, however, the gold coin was critizied for being too small for effective use and was withdrawn with only 55,000 pieces minted. The one thaler piece currently weighs 26.75 grams and is composed of .900 silver.



2.5 thaler

The two and a half thaler coin, also known as a quarter eagle or a Kiowa, was first minted in 1834 in New Bordeaux, and was the first gold piece ever minted by the Republique du la Tejas. It can be found in conspicious throughout the country, and is the largest piece in common circulation for those in the middle classes. It is generally more likely to be found in the east, the west, and in urban areas. The Kiowa was the first coin to use incessed relief in a circulation issue. The current issue weighs approximentally 4.25 grams and is composed of .900 gold, with copper forming the balance.



3 thaler

The three thaler coin was first minted in 1851 in Bejar. It is in common circulation as one of the largest coins in use in rural areas, where it can be exchanged for 100 3 centimine pieces, and is surprisingly a favorite coin amongst Indians, who almost always insist upon recieving a three thaler coin as the mark of a signature of a treaty. The three thaler coin currently weighs approximentaly 5 grams, and is composed of .900 gold.



4 thaler

The four thaler piece is one of the rarest coins to find in circulation in the Republique du la Tejas. Almost always hoarded when found in circulation, the 4 thaler coin is usually only recievable either by direct shipment from the mint, nessitating a large order, or from banks dealing often with international commerce. The 4 thaler coin is minted in very low quanities, and is usually only used in international commerce, where it is only moderately successful. It currently weighs approximentally 6.75 grams, and is made of .900 gold.



5 thaler

The five thaler coin, also known as a half eagle or a Wichita, was first minted in 1835 in New Bordeaux. It is the major gold coin in use by the upper class; it is very sparingly found in circulation otherwise. Much like the Kiowa, the current issue of the Wichita featured incessed relief. The current Wichita weighs approximentally 8.5 grams, and is composed of .900 gold.



10 thaler

The ten thaler coin, also known as an eagle or a Cheyenne, was first minted in 1835 in Bejar. It is commonly found in use by large banks as reserves and holding; also occasionally in use by elite in purchases. It is one of the common units of large buisness commerce. The current Cheyenne weighs approximentally 16.75 grams, and is composed of .900 gold.



20 thaler

The twenty thaler coin, also known as a fifth liberty, was first minted in 1852 in Sante Fe. It is the common unit of government payment and extremely large transactions, and is almost never found in day to day exchange. The fifth liberty weighs approximentally 33.5 grams with a purity of .900 gold, and is unique because the edge is not reeded, but starred.



50 thaler

The fifty thaler coin, also known as a half liberty, was first minted in 1873 in New Bordeaux. It is exceedingly rare, perhaps 15,000 have been made. They are used, when found, as government reserves, and occasionally in large scale commerce. It is also the only octoganal coin in the Republique du la Tejas. The half liberty weighs approximentally 84 grams with a purity of .900 gold.





Disclaimer: All of these coins have been selected from amongst my personal favorites and from my feeling on what would fit for a nation such as a Republic. I do realize that most of these are American; this is a reflection of my view of the athesteitic properties of American coins vs. other nationalities coins on an individual basis; and not a sign of favoritism