The Republic of Cabo Verde (also known as Cape Verde or Cabo Verde) is an archipelago in West Africa that consists of ten volcanic islands. The Cape Verde islands form part of the Macaronesia ecoregion.
Cape Verde uses the Cape Verdean escudo as its official currency. One escudo is divided into 100 centavos. The escudo was introduced in 1914, replacing the real at a rate of 1,000 reis to 1 escudo.
Cape Verde continued to use Portuguese coins until 1930, when it started issuing its own coins. When coins were introduced, they came in denominations of 5 centavos, 10 centavos, 20 centavos, 50 centavos, and 1 escudo. The 50-centavo and 1 escudo coins were struck in nickel-bronze while the remaining denominations were struck in bronze. All the coins feature the profile of Liberty.
In 1953, the bronze 1 escudo, nickel-bronze 2 ½ escudos, and silver 10 escudos. Fifteen years later, the bronze 50 centavos and nickel-bronze 5 escudos were introduced. These coins feature the Cape Verde and Portuguese coat of arms on either side.
Two years after Cape Verde gained independence in 1975, coins were issued in denominations of 20 centavos, 50 centavos, 1 escudo, 2 ½ escudos, 10 escudos, 20 escudos, and 50 escudos. Centavo coins were made of aluminum. The 1 and 2 ½ escudo coins were made of nickel-bronze while the remaining escudo denominations were made of cupronickel. As inflation continued to happen, the centavo disappeared from circulation and the 1-escudo coin became the smallest denomination in circulation.
The designs of present standard circulation coins were introduced in 1994. The brass-plated 1 escudo coin has only one design: a sea turtle. Meanwhile, remaining denominations have three design varieties.
Other denominations are: copper-plated-steel 5 escudos,; nickel plated steel 10, 20, and 50 escudos; and the bimetallic 100 escudos. The three design varieties feature either native animals, historical ships, or native plants and ferns.
Commemorative 200-escudo coins were issued in 1995 and 2005. The 200-escudo coin from 1995 commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the 20th independence anniversary. The 200-escudo coin from 2005 commemorates the 30th anniversary of independence.
