a particular feature of the circulation of british silver coins in british guiana was the popularity of the 4d (four pence) coin, known as the groat. this was a direct consequence of its equivalence to the very popular outgoing 'bit' coin which was equal to one quarter of a guilder. when the groat coin ceased to circulate in the united kingdom in the latter half of the nineteenth century, a special request was made in 1888 for groats to be struck for use in the british west indies and british guiana. these were first struck in 1891. from 1917 they were struck exclusively for use in british guiana.