American Samoa
 
 
American Samoa (Samoan: Amerika Samoa or Samoa Amelika) is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa. The main (largest and most populous) island is Tutuila, with the Manu?a Islands, Rose Atoll, and Swains Island also included in the territory. It was administrate by Commandants from 17 Feb 1900 to 30 Jan 1905, then Governors since 30 Jan 1905.
Capital: Pago Pago; Fagatogo (seat of government).
Territorial Dispute: On 19th Feb 2006, Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olosega) in its 2006 draft independence constitution.
 

 
   

    02 Mar 1606           Swains Islands discovered by Spanish Capt. Fernando de Quiros
                            and named Isla de la Gente Hermosa.  
    01 Feb 1841           Isla de la Gente Hermosa renamed to Swains Islands.
        13 Jun 1722           Samoa discovered by Dutch Capt. Jacob Roggeveen,
                            Rose Atoll is named Vuyle Eylandt (Bird Island).
    05 May 1768           Revisited by French Capt. Louis-Antoine de 
                            Bougainville, named Iles Navigateurs (Navigator Islands).
    21 Oct 1819           French Capt. Louis de Freycinet resights and names Rose
                            Atoll.
    13 Oct 1856           Semi-independent proprietary settlement founded by the
                            American Jennings family (often called Jennings Island)
                            on Swains Islands.   
    02 Nov 1871           New Zealand government recommends British annexation of the
                            Samoa Islands.
    02 Mar 1872           U.S. Commander Richard Meade on U.S.S. Narragansett signs a
                            treaty  granting the U.S. a coaling station in Pago Pago.
    13 Feb 1878           U.S. Treaty of Friendship with Tutuila and Aunu'u  Islands
    05 Nov 1884           King and Vice-King of Samoa petition Queen Victoria  to make
                            Samoa a British colony.
    14 Jul 1889           Tripartite German-UK-U.S. protectorate
 17 Feb 1900 - 29 Jun 1951  Administered by the U.S. Navy.
    17 Apr 1900           Tutuila and Aunu'u Islands ceded to United States by local
                            chiefs (American Samoa).
    16 Jul 1904           Manu'a Islands (Manu'a, Ofu, Ta'u, etc.) and Ross Atoll
                            ceded to United States.
           1907           Swains Islands claimed by the British Gilbert Islands.
        02 Apr 1909           The Tui Manu`a lineage (Moa'atoa dynasty) becomes extinct.
                            These Paramount chiefs are known to rule since c.1828.
           1909           Swains Islands recognized by Britain as within the U.S.
                            zone of influence.
    17 Jul 1911           U.S. Naval Station Tutuila renamed American Samoa.
    04 Mar 1925           Swains Islands annexed by U.S. into American Samoa.
    20 Feb 1929           U.S. Congress formally accepts the cession of Tutuila and 
                            Manu'a by their chiefs, with retroactive effect to
                            16 Jul 1904. Administered by U.S. Navy.
    29 Jun 1951           Territory of American Samoa.
                           Administered by U.S. Department of Interior.
    22 Apr 1960           Autonomy.
    25 Mar 1981           New Zealand confirms U.S. sovereignty over Swains Islands.
       Feb 2006           Swains Islands claimed by Tokelau in its draft constitution.
 
  • Moa'atoa dynasty - Paramount Manu'a Islands Chiefs (title Tui Manu`a)
  • Taalolomana Fanaese...........................................c. 1828
  • Tauveve.......................................................c. 1836
  • Tauilima Alalamua.............................................c. 1888
  • Matelita (female)..............................01 Jul 1891 - 29 Oct 1895
  • Elisara...............................................1899 - 02 Apr 1909
  • Commandants
  • Benjamin Franklin Tilley.......................17 Feb 1900 - 27 Nov 1901
  • Uriel Sebree...................................27 Nov 1901 - 16 Dec 1902
  • Henry Minett (acting)..........................16 Dec 1902 - 05 May 1903
  • Edmund Beardsley Underwood.....................05 May 1903 - 30 Jan 1905
  • Governors
  • Charles Brainard Taylor Moore..................30 Jan 1905 - 21 May 1908
  • John Frederick Parker..........................21 May 1908 - 10 Nov 1910
  • William Michael Crose..........................10 Nov 1910 - 14 Mar 1913
  • Nathan Woodworth Post (1st time - acting)......14 Mar 1913 - 14 Jul 1913
  • Clark Daniel Stearns...........................14 Jul 1913 - 02 Oct 1914
  • Nathan Woodworth Post (2nd time - acting)......02 Oct 1914 - 06 Dec 1914
  • Charles Armijo Woodruff (acting)...............06 Dec 1914 - 01 Mar 1915
  • John Martin Poyer..............................01 Mar 1915 - 10 Jun 1919
  • Warren Jay Terhune.............................10 Jun 1919 - 03 Nov 1920
  • Waldo A. Evans.................................11 Nov 1920 - 01 Mar 1922
  • Edwin Taylor Pollock...........................01 Mar 1922 - 04 Sep 1923
  • Edward Stanley Kellogg.........................04 Sep 1923 - 17 Mar 1925
  • Henry Francis Bryan............................17 Mar 1925 - 09 Sep 1927
  • Stephen Victor Graham..........................09 Sep 1927 - 02 Aug 1929
  • Gatewood Sanders Lincoln (1st time)............02 Aug 1929 - 24 Mar 1931
  • James Sutherland Spore (acting)................24 Mar 1931 - 22 Apr 1931
  • Arthur Tenney Emerson (acting).................22 Apr 1931 - 17 Jul 1931
  • Gatewood Sanders Lincoln (2nd time)............17 Jul 1931 - 12 May 1932
  • George Bertram Landenberger....................12 May 1932 - 10 Apr 1934
  • Thomas Calloway Latimore (acting)..............10 Apr 1934 - 17 Apr 1934
  • Otto Carl Dowling..............................17 Apr 1934 - 15 Jan 1936
  • Thomas Benjamin Fitzpatrick (acting)...........15 Jan 1936 - 20 Jan 1936
  • MacGillivray Milne.............................20 Jan 1936 - 03 Jun 1938
  • Edward William Hanson..........................26 Jun 1938 - 30 Jul 1940
  • Jesse Rink Wallace (acting)....................30 Jul 1940 - 08 Aug 1940
  • Laurence Wild..................................08 Aug 1940 - 05 Jun 1942
  • Henry Louis Larsen (military governor).........17 Jan 1942 - 25 Apr 1942
  • Charles F.B. Price (military force commander)..28 Apr 1942 - 01 Mar 1944
  • John Gould Moyer...............................05 Jun 1942 - 08 Feb 1944
  • Allen Hobbs....................................08 Feb 1944 - 27 Jan 1945
  • Ralph Waldo Hungerford.........................27 Jan 1945 - 03 Sep 1945
  • Samuel Wakefield Canan (acting)................03 Sep 1945 - 10 Sep 1945
  • Harold Alexander Houser........................10 Sep 1945 - 22 Apr 1947
  • Vernon Huber...................................22 Apr 1947 - 15 Jun 1949
  • Thomas Francis Darden, Jr. ....................07 Jul 1949 - 23 Feb 1951
  • Phelps Phelps..................................23 Feb 1951 - 20 Jun 1952
  • John C. Elliott................................16 Jul 1952 - 23 Nov 1952
  • James Arthur Ewing.............................28 Nov 1952 - 04 Mar 1953
  • Lawrence M. Judd...............................04 Mar 1953 - 05 Aug 1953
  • Richard Barrett Lowe...........................01 Oct 1953 - 15 Oct 1956
  • Peter Tali Coleman (1st time)..................15 Oct 1956 - 24 May 1961
  • Hyrum Rex Lee (1st time).......................24 May 1961 - 31 Jul 1967
  • Owen Stuart Aspinall...........................01 Aug 1967 - 31 Jul 1969
  • John Morse Haydon..............................01 Aug 1969 - 14 Oct 1974
  • Frank C. Mockler (acting)......................15 Oct 1974 - 06 Feb 1975
  • Earl Baker Ruth................................06 Feb 1975 - 30 Sep 1976
  • Frank E. Barnett...............................01 Oct 1976 - 27 May 1977
  • Hyrum Rex Lee (2nd time).......................28 May 1977 - 03 Jan 1978
  • Peter Tali Coleman (2nd time)..................03 Jan 1978 - 03 Jan 1985
  • Lutali Aifili Paulo Lauvao (1st time)..........03 Jan 1985 - 02 Jan 1989
  • Peter Tali Coleman (3rd time)..................02 Jan 1989 - 03 Jan 1993
  • Lutali Aifili Paulo Lauvao (2nd time)..........03 Jan 1993 - 03 Jan 1997
  • Tauese Pita Fiti Sunia.........................03 Jan 1997 - 26 Mar 2003
  • Togiola Talalelei A. Tulafono..................26 Mar 2003 - 03 Jan 2013
  • He was acting to 07 Apr 2003.
  • Lolo Letalu Matalasi Moliga....................03 Jan 2013 - date
American Samoa Non-circulating legal tender coinage under Governor:
Lutali Aifili Paulo Lauvao
 
Aifili Paulo Lauvao (December 24, 1919 - August 1, 2002), was governor of American Samoa (03 Jan 1985 - 02 Jan 1989 and again from 03 Jan 1993 - 03 Jan 1997). The founder of the U.S. commonwealth's Democratic Party, he had a long career in education administrator, the legislature and the judiciary in American Samoa. He was the 38th and 40th Governor of American Samoa.
 

KM#1 1 Dollar 1988 Year: 1988. Metal: Bronze. Weight: 26.55g [31.10g]. Edge: Reeded. Diameter: 39.00 mm. Alignment: Medal. Minted by: Phillips Mint, USA.
Obverse: "AMERICAN SAMOA·17 APRIL 1900" written at the top and "SAMOA MUAMUA LE ATUA" at the bottom, both in outer circle. American' Cup in the center with date "1988" at it's lower right side and "A M E R I C A ' S C U P" written around the upper part; all within the center circle. Reverse: Logo and text: AMERICA'S CUP '88 right of 2 sailboats on the Ocean, Sailing boats in the center with cloud and two birds; all within the center circle. Raised with incused text: "AMERICA'S CUP" written at the top and "ONE DOLLAR" written at the bottom in outer circle. Minted Years: One year type. Mintage: 2000. Subject: 27th America's Cup, 07 to 09 September 1988.

KM#3 25 Dollars. Year: 1988. Metal: 0.999 Silver. Weight: 155.5150g. Edge: Plain. Diameter: 63.00 mm. Alignment: Medal, but most of these coins are known to be of Coin alignment. Minted by: Phillips Mint, USA. Obverse: "AMERICAN SAMOA·17 APRIL 1900" written at the top and "SAMOA MUAMUA LE ATUA" at the bottom, both in outer circle. American' Cup in the center with date "1988" at it's lower right side and "A M E R I C A ' S C U P" written around the upper part; all within the center circle. Reverse: Logo and text: AMERICA'S CUP '88 right of 2 sailboats on the Ocean, One Sailing boat in the center with cloud and two birds; all within the center circle. Raised with incused text: "AMERICA'S CUP" written at the top and "5 TROY OUNCES FINE SILVER TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS" written at the bottom in outer circle. Minted Years: One year type. Mintage: 100. Subject: 27th America's Cup, 07 to 09 September 1988.

 
 
 
Swains Island
 
A tiny coral atoll, roughly 230 miles (370 km.) north-northwest of Pago Pago, American Samoa; and about 125 miles (200 km.) south of Tokelau. Occupied and settled by an American in the mid-19th century. Semi-independent proprietary settlement founded by the American Jennings family (often called Jennings Island) on 13 Oct 1856.
 
  • Leaders (Proprietors)
  • Eli Hutchinson Jennings.........................13 Oct 1856 - 94 Dec 1878
  • Malia Jennings (female).........................04 Dec 1878 - 25 Oct 1891
  • Eli Hutchinson Jennings, Jr. ...................25 Oct 1891 - 24 Oct 1920
  • He was known as "King Jennings".
  • Ann Eliza Jennings Carruthers (female)..........24 Oct 1920 - Aug 1921
  • Alexander Hutchinson Jennings...................24 Oct 1920 - 1940's
  • Swains Islands was annexed by U.S. into American Samoa on 04 March 1925.
  • Alexander Eli Jennings...............................1940's - 1958
  • In 1954, Local government instituted by American Samoa. However, the proprietary rights of Jennings family are acknowledged.
 
 
Countries / Territories
 
Chiefa Coins