A micronation
(cybernation, fantasy country, model
country, new country project, pseudonation,
counternation, ephemeral state, online
nation, and variants thereof) - is an entity intended to replace,
resemble, mock, or exist on equal footing with recognized independent
states. Some micronations are created with serious intent, while others
exist as a hobby or stunt. For the most part they exist only on paper, on
the internet, or in the minds of their creators and participants. A
small number have also managed to achieve some degree of recognition. When
they do, they converge to some degree with other organizing paradigms that
offer, or seem to offer, political or infrastructural independence of some
sort.
Micronations
may have a form and structure similar to established sovereign states,
including territorial claims, government institutions, official symbols
and citizens. Micronations are often quite small, in both their claimed
territory and claimed populations - although there are some exceptions to
this rule. Micronations may issue formal instruments such as postage
stamps, coin, banknotes and passports, and confer honours and titles of
nobility. A criterion which distinguishes micronations from imaginary
countries, eco-villages, campuses, tribes, clans, sects, and residential
community associations, is that these latter entities do not usually seek
to be recognized as sovereign. The Montevideo Convention (treaty signed at
Montevideo on 26 December 1933) was one attempt to create a legal
definition distinguishing between states and non-states. Some micronations
meet this definition, while some do not. The academic study of
micronations and microstates is termed micropatrology, and the
hobby of establishing and operating micronations is known as micronationalism.
Usually
the Coins/Tokens mentioned in this area, are the ones mentioned in the
book called "Unusual World Coins" by Bruce, Colin R., II Smith,
Bruce Wayne (Contributor), Krause Publications in February 1992. The
latest edition of this book as 4th edition has been released in 2005 by
Krause publications. The other source for reference/book is written by Russell Rulau on World Tokens.
This area contains coins produced by different people as a claim/imagination
of their lands. Hopefully there is a rightful spot for these handsome and
wonderful coins in your collection, right next to your Adelas, Ducals,
Credito, Steloj, and all the other uncommon, privately-made coins of the
unofficial world. Most of these Micro-Nations have their own web-sites
like LADONIA.
Ladonia was created in 1980 and situated in Sweden. It has its own
administration, laws and flag. Its citizen form is available at US $12. In
2002 approximately 4000 Pakistan citizens apply for citizenship in
Ladonien in hope for a better life, but none of them were accepted.
Below is a short list of these unusual
coins including fantasy, micro-nations, psuedo-etats and tokens
known to many coin collectors.
It contains information
about Micronation and categorized them with brief explanation. It
also provide the website of these Micronesia with their coinage.
Amazing it has provide a list of locations used in fictional
stories, literatures and films as well.
These are
groups that are actually trying to start brand new countries. Some
are rather quixotic, while some are already underway with true and
serious intention. Also, not all new country projects last. A few
that are listed here have either disbanded or gone bankrupt.
These are
official websites of diplomatically recognized small countries, or
(semi-)autonomous jurisdictions that are 20,000 square kilometers or
smaller. Some sites may or not be the official government websites,
and may be only tourist information sites. Nearly all these
nations/states have listings on the CIA
World Factbook.
UNRECOGNISED
STATES NUMISMATIC SOCIETY AND KEY MEMBER WEBSITES
The Unrecognised
States Numismatic Society is the first and only group catering
to numismatists whose collecting interests largely focus on coins
minted by groups purporting, pretending or appearing to be sovereign
states, but which are not recognised as such by established
governments. The USNS came into being as a Yahoo Groups mailing list
on 22 June, 2003. It was created by California-based collector and
dealer Oded Paz, who in so doing brought together a small
group of collectors with a shared in interest in the coins and
banknotes issued by unrecognised groups and ephemeral states, who
had become aware of each other over preceding months via the
internet. A lot of information and images of these coins, can be seen at: