Jersey Zoo 60th anniversary commemorative coins (FOI)

Request

In 2019 Jersey issued one x £2 coin celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Jersey Zoo, however they were not available at Jersey Zoo or at the Jersey Treasury. The one coin was added to with another four being issued to make a set of five, there was also a special edition silver coin.

The coins were issued by Westminster Collection.

A

Are they legal tender and if not why not?

B

Are the treasury earning any revenue and how the States of Jersey allowed this to happen, is there an agreement between States of Jersey and Westminster?

It appears to me that Westminster Collection, are making a profit on the back of Jersey and why were they not supplied to Jersey Zoo?

Response

A

All coins issued by the Westminster Collection are legal tender, however they are presented as coins for collectors as opposed to being placed into general circulation.

B

The States of Jersey has procured the services of 288 Group Limited (who trade as the Westminster Collection) to manage the States’ commemorative coin programme. This management includes:

• market research

• design

• production

• distribution

• sales reporting

The revenue arrangements within this contract are commercially confidential and exempt from publication under Article 33(b) of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011.

C

As detailed in response B, the details of the commercial arrangements between the States of Jersey and 288 Group Limited are confidential. The coins were available globally through the Westminster Collection website, which also details the 5% donation for each coin sold which was made to Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.

Westminster Collection - Jersey Zoo 60th Anniversary silver coin

Article applied

Article 33 Commercial interests

Information is qualified exempt information if –

(a) it constitutes a trade secret; or

(b) its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of a person (including the scheduled public authority holding the information).

Prejudice / public interest test

Article 33 (b) allows an authority to refuse a request for information where its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of a person (including the scheduled public authority holding the information). Whilst it is accepted that the public may have an interest in the value of contracts between the Government of Jersey and third parties, it is believed the contract values are commercially sensitive as they are the outcome of negotiations between parties and that the release of this data could affect the negotiation of future contracts.

The management of the Commemorative Coin programme is put out to public tender no less than every five years. To publish the details of the States of Jersey and 288 Group revenues would prejudice both parties and provide commercially sensitive information to any parties considering a tender for future contracts.