1859, Danish West Indies (Virgin Islands), Frederick VII. Silver 5 Cents Coin. F+
Condition: F+
Mint year: 1859
References: KM-65.
Denomination: 5 Cents
Material: Silver (.625)
Diameter: 16mm
Weight: 1.6gm
Obverse: Head of Frederick VII right.
Legend: FREDERIK VII – KONGE AF DANMARK / 1859
Reverse: Danish colonial sailship left.
Legend: DANSK VESTINDISK MONT (privy mark: crown) 5 CENTS *
The Danish West Indies (Danish: Dansk Vestindien or De dansk-vestindiske øer) or Danish Antilles was a Danish colony in the Caribbean, first under the united kingdoms of Denmark-Norway and later, after the 1814 Treaty of Kiel, Denmark alone. The islands were sold to the United States in 1917 under the terms of the Treaty of the Danish West Indies and were organized as the United States Virgin Islands in 1917. The Danish geographical name for the constituent islands is Jomfruøerne (lit. “The Virgin Islands”). The Danish West Indies covered a total area of 185 square miles (480 km2) and in the 1850s consisted of three main islands: Sankt Thomas with 43 square miles (110 km2); Sankt Jan with 42 square miles (110 km2); and Sankt Croix with 100 square miles (260 km2).
Frederick VII (Frederik Carl Christian) (6 October 1808 – 15 November 1863) was a King of the Kingdom of Denmark. He reigned from 1848 until his death. He was the last Danish monarch of the older Royal branch of the House of Oldenburg and also the last king of Denmark to rule as an absolute monarch. During his reign, he signed a constitution that established a Danish parliament and made the country a constitutional monarchy.