Martinique
 
 
               15 Jun 1502  Discovered and claimed for Spain by Christopher Columbus,
                             named Isla Martinica (no settlement).
                      1625  Claimed by France.
               15 Sep 1635  French colony (under the Compagnie des Îles de l'Amérique
                             to 1650).
        1628 - 1762         Part of the French Antilles (Grenada [from 1649],
                             Guadeloupe [from 1635], Martinique [from 1635],
                             Saint-Christophe [to 1702], Saint-Barthélemy [from 1648],
                             Saint-Martin [from 1648], and Saint-Croix [1650-1733]). 
        1650 - 1664         Granted to the Dyel du Parquet family.
        1664 - 1674         Under the Compagnie des Indes Occidentales.
               1674         French crown colony.
 13 Feb 1762 - 1763         British occupation.
        1768 - 1783         Part of the French Antilles.
 22 May 1794 - Sep 1802     British occupation.
 25 Oct 1797 - 19 Apr 1801  Nominally organized as a département of France (not effected
                             because of British occupation).
 21 Feb 1809 - 08 Oct 1814  British occupation.
 14 Sep 1939 - Sep 1943     French Possessions in the Americas (French Guiana, Guadeloupe,
                             Martinique and Saint-Pierre and Miquelon) grouped together
                             (to 14 Jul 1943 under Vichy France).
 16 Jun 1940 - 13 Jul 1943  Martinique administration loyal to Vichy France
                            (from 13 Jul 1943, Free French).
               19 Mar 1946  French overseas département.
               28 Mar 2003  French overseas region.
               07 Dec 2003  Referendum on status change to collectivité territoriale
                             defeated by 50.48%.
               10 Jan 2010  Referendum 78.9% vote against increased autonomy.
 
The French Overseas Department of Martinique, located in
the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies between Dominica to the north and Saint Lucia to the south, has an area of 425 sq. mi.(1,100 sq. km.) and a population of around 300,000. Capital: Fort-de-France (Saint-Pierre: 1635 - 08 May 1902). Agriculture and tourism are the major sources of income. Bananas, sugar, and rum are exported. Christopher Columbus discovered Martinique, probably on June 15, 1502. France took possession on June 25, 1635, and has maintained possession since that time except for three short periods of British occupation during the Napoleonic Wars. A French department since 1946, Martinique voted a reaffirmation of that status in 1958, remaining within the new French Community. Martinique was the birthplace of Napoleon's Empress Josephine, and the site of the eruption of Mt. Pelee in 1902 that claimed 40,000 lives.
 
  • France..........................................15 Sep 1635 - 13 Feb 1762
  • Great Britain...................................13 Feb 1762 - 1763
  • France.................................................1763 - 22 May 1794
  • Great Britain...................................22 May 1794 - Sep 1802
  • France.............................................Sep 1802 - 21 Feb 1809
  • Great Britain...................................21 Feb 1809 - 08 Oct 1814
  • France..........................................08 Oct 1814 - date
 
Currency: Euro is used on this Island. Before Euro, French Franc was used. During 1802-1809, 22 Livres equal to 6400 Reis were put into circulation. These coins were actually Brazil countermark coinage dated 1751 to 1788. (15 Sols = 1 Escalin, 20 Sols = 1 Livre, 22 Livres = 4 Escudos = 6400 Reis). The 1897 and 1922 decimal coinage of the Colony of Martinique are now obsolete.
 
1897
 

KM#40 50 centimes. Year: 1897. Weight: 4.91g. Metal: Copper-Nickel. Diameter: 23 mm. Edge: Plain. Alignment: Coin. Mint: Paris. Obverse: CONTRE-VALEUR DÉPOSÉE AU TRÉSOR. Value and date within wreath. BON POUR 50 CENT. 1897. A. BORREL written below date. Reverse: RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE (outer circle) COLONIE DE LA MARTINIQUE (inner circle) with woman facing left. Mintage: 600,000. Minted Years: 1897 and 1922 (Mintage: 500,000).

Note: KM#41 1 Franc exists, dated 1897 (Mintage: 300,000) and 1922 (Mintage: 350,000).
 
 
 
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