Gibraltar 5-PENCE (KM775)

The Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus) is often called a Barbary ape, but it is not an ape. It is a true monkey, but it has no tail. Perhaps that is why it gets confused with apes.

Barbary macaques are the only other primate -- besides humans -- that live freely in Europe. The Gibraltar population are from Algeria and Morocco, and were introduced -- probably by the Moors -- relatively recently (sometime from the 8th to 16th century).

This smaller 5 pence coin first appeared in 1990 (KM22.2), and this version with an updated bust of Elizabeth was minted from 1998 to 2003.