Southern Rhodesian pound

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Southern Rhodesian pound
Southern Rhodesia 10s 1945 Obverse.png
10/– banknote from 1945
Unit
Unit pound
Pluralpounds
Symbol £
Denominations
Subunit
120 shilling
1240 penny
Plural
penny pence
Symbol
shilling s or /–
penny d
Banknotes5/–, 10/–, £1, £5, £10
Coins12d, 1d, 3d, 6d, 1/–, 2/–, 2/6
Demographics
User(s) Southern Rhodesia
Issuance
Central bank Southern Rhodesia Currency Board (1938-1953)
Central African Currency Board (1953-1956)
Valuation
Pegged with sterling at par
This infobox shows the latest status before this currency was rendered obsolete.

The pound was the currency of Southern Rhodesia. It also circulated in Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland. The pound was subdivided into 20 shillings , each of 12 pence .

Contents

History

From 1896, private banks issued notes denominated in £sd equal to sterling. In 1932, a distinct coinage was introduced. In 1938, the Southern Rhodesia Currency Board was established and took over the issuance of paper money the following year. Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland joined in 1953 to form the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, which continued to use the Southern Rhodesian pound until 1955 when coins were introduced for the Rhodesia and Nyasaland pound. 1955 also saw the Southern Rhodesia Currency Board renamed the Central African Currency Board. In 1956, the first paper money of the Rhodesia and Nyasaland pound was introduced, completing the transition.

Coins

In 1932, .925 fineness silver coins were introduced in denominations of 3d, 6d, 1/–, 2/–, and 2/6. These were followed in 1934 by holed, cupro-nickel 12d and 1d coins. In 1942, bronze replaced cupro-nickel, whilst the silver coins were debased to .500 fineness in 1944 and replaced by cupro-nickel in 1947. Coins were issued until 1954. In 1953 a 5/– coin of .500 fineness (.45 ounce actual silver weight) was minted to commemorate the centennial of the birth of Cecil Rhodes. 124,000 were produced for circulation, plus 1500 minted as Proof coinage.

Banknotes

In 1896, the Salisbury branch of the Standard Bank of South Africa introduced the first Southern Rhodesian banknotes, in denominations of £1 and £5. This bank later issued 10/– notes. The Bank of Africa, Barclays Bank and the National Bank of South Africa also issued notes. These private bank issues ended in 1938.

In 1939, the Southern Rhodesia Currency Board introduced 10/–, £1 and £5 notes, followed by 5/– notes between 1943 and 1948 and £10 in 1953. In 1955, the Central Africa Currency Board issued notes in denominations of 10/–, £1, £5 and £10.

Banknotes of the Southern Rhodesian Pound 1939 - 1952
Pick
No.
ImageValueDimensionsMain colourDescriptionDate of
ObverseReverseObverseReverseWatermarkprintingissuewithdrawal
8a Southern Rhodesia 5s 1943 Obverse.png Southern Rhodesia 5s 1943 Reverse.png 5/–Brown King George VI 5/-None1943 - 19451 January 1943
8b Southern Rhodesia 5s 1948 Obverse.png Southern Rhodesia 5s 1948 Reverse.png 5/–115 × 69 mmBrownKing George VI5/-None1945 - 19521 February 1945
9 Southern Rhodesia 10s 1945 Obverse.png Southern Rhodesia 10s 1945 Reverse.png 10/–Brown Eastern Highlands and King George VI Victoria Falls Cecil John Rhodes 1939 - 195215 December 1939
10 Southern Rhodesia PS1 1950 Obverse.png Southern Rhodesia PS1 1950 Reverse.png £1GreenKing George VI Great Zimbabwe Cecil John Rhodes1939 - 195215 December 1939
11 Southern Rhodesia PS5 1951 Obverse.png Southern Rhodesia PS5 1951 Reverse.png £5BlueMining and King George VI Victoria Falls Cecil John Rhodes1939 - 195215 December 1939
Banknotes of the Southern Rhodesian Pound 1952 - 1956
Pick
No.
ImageValueDimensionsMain colourDescriptionDate of
ObverseReverseObverseReverseWatermarkprintingissuewithdrawal
12 Southern Rhodesia 10s 1955 Obverse.png Southern Rhodesia 10s 1955 Reverse.png 10/–132 × 75 mmBrown Eastern Highlands and Queen Elizabeth II Victoria Falls Cecil John Rhodes 1952 - 19561 December 1952
13 Southern Rhodesia PS1 1954 Obverse.png Southern Rhodesia PS1 1954 Reverse.png £1148 × 82 mmGreenQueen Elizabeth II Great Zimbabwe Cecil John Rhodes1952 - 19561 December 1952
14 Southern Rhodesia PS5 1955 Obverse.png Southern Rhodesia PS5 1955 Reverse.png £5160 × 88 mmBlueMining and Queen Elizabeth II Victoria Falls Cecil John Rhodes1953 - 19561 January 1953
15 Southern Rhodesia PS10 1954 Obverse.png Southern Rhodesia PS10 1954 Reverse.png £10168 × 94 mmOrangeLion and Queen Elizabeth IIElephantsCecil John Rhodes1953 - 195615 April 1953

References

Preceded by:
British pound
Reason: creation of local currency
Ratio: at par
Currency of Southern Rhodesia
1940 1953
Currency of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
1953 1956
Succeeded by:
Rhodesia and Nyasaland pound
Location: Rhodesia and Nyasaland
Reason: formation of federation
Ratio: at par
Circulates in Northern Rhodesia
1940 1953
Circulates in Nyasaland
1940 1953