Gibraltar 5-PENCE (KM22.1)

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 coin -- minted from 1988 to 1990 -- marks the first appearance of the Barbary macaque on Gibraltar's coinage. In 1990 the coin was reduced to 18 mm in size and minted until 1997 (KM22.2). In 1998 it was replaced by KM775, which is the same smaller size coin with a new bust of Elizabeth on the obverse.