View source for Mauritian dollar

{{short description|Currency of Mauritius, 1820-1877}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
In 1820, in response to a request from the British colony of [[Mauritius]], the imperial government in London struck silver coins in the denominations of {{frac|4}}, {{frac|8}}, and {{frac|16}} dollars. The dollar unit in question was equivalent to the Spanish dollar and these fractional coins were known as 'Anchor Dollars' because of the anchor that appeared on them. More of these anchor dollars were struck in 1822 and not only for [[Mauritius]] but also for the [[British West Indies]]. In addition to this, a {{frac|2}} dollar anchor coin was struck for [[Mauritius]]. A year or two later, copper dollar fractions were struck for [[Mauritius]], the [[British West Indies]], and [[Sierra Leone]].

The '''dollar''' was the currency of [[Mauritius]] until 1877. Initially, it was made up of [[Spanish dollars]], with paper money and new coins being issued in the 1820s (see [[Anchor coinage]]). The dollar was initially pegged at a value of 2 [[Indian rupee]]s, then at 4 [[shillings]] [[pound sterling|sterling]]. In 1822, coins for 25 and 50 sous were issued due to the continued use of the [[French colonial livre]].

The dollar circulated alongside sterling and the Indian rupee. An unofficial exchange rate of 2 rupees to the dollar was used, although this overvalued the rupee for a time.

In 1877, the [[Mauritian rupee]] was introduced. It replaced the dollar at a rate of 2 rupees = 1 dollar.

==References==
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*{{numis cite SCWC|date=1991}}
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[[Category:Currencies of Africa]]
[[Category:Currencies of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Currencies of Mauritius]]
[[Category:Economic history of Mauritius]]
[[Category:Modern obsolete currencies]]
[[Category:1877 disestablishments]]
[[Category:19th century in economic history]]
[[Category:British Mauritius]]
[[Category:Dollar]]


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