Guyana ~ Guiana (British) Stiver and Half Stiver 1813

The country we call Guyana today was originally three Dutch colonies: from west to east, they were Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice, named after the rivers which ran through them. For several years control of the area alternated between the Netherlands and Great Britain, with influence from France. Finally, in 1814, the Dutch formally ceded the colonies to Britain, in exchange for having Dutch Guiana returned to it. This history is reflected in this coinage: in 1813, the British are firmly in control and the British king's portrait appears on the obverse of 'stiver' coinage, while the denomination 'stuiver' had been used by the Netherlands for centuries.

In 1813 Essequibo and Demerary issued one stiver and half stiver copper coins, with catalog values approximately:

HALF STIVER
worn: $6 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $15
well preserved: $55
fully uncirculated: $150

ONE STIVER
worn: $8 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $15
well preserved: $50
fully uncirculated: $200 and up
one stivers in beautifully immaculate condition catalog at $450+

As always on CoinQuest, these are catalog values which require that the coin be free of all problems such as scratches, stains, spots, cleanings, nicks, gouges, and the like. See our Important Terminology page for an explanation of how to properly interpret catalog values. Actual buy and sell values are normally lower than catalog values.
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