Saba is a small and rocky Caribbean island - about 13 square
km- and the smallest special municipality of the Netherlands. Saba became a
special municipality within the country of the Netherlands after the
dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles on 10 October 2010. At the 2010
Netherlands Antilles census, the population was 1,737 inhabitants.
As the island is part of the Netherlands, Dutch is the
official language. Despite the island's Dutch affiliation, English is the
principal language spoken on the island and has been used in its school system
since the 19th century. English can therefore be used in communications of and
to the government although there is a local dialect. Since January 1, 2011, the
U.S. dollar has been the official currency, replacing the Netherlands Antillian
Guilder.
Because of the rocky landscape at the island and the difficulty
in farming, Saba’s men were traditionally pirates or legitimate sailors. The
most notable native Saban pirate was Hiram Beakes, who famously quipped,
"Dead men tell no tales."
This coin set includes: a 1-5-10-25-50 Cent; 1 Dollar, a
bimetallic 2 ½ Dollar and a bimetallic 5 Dollar coin. On the obverse of the
coin is depicted Netherlands Queen Beatrix, along with the name and arms of the
island; and on the reverse the coins feature several native birds.