Rhodesia and Nyasaland pound

Last updated
Rhodesia and Nyasaland pound
Rhodesia & Nyasaland 10s 1958 Obverse.png
10/– note
Unit
Unit pound
Pluralpounds
Symbol £
Denominations
Subunit
120 shilling
1240 penny
Plural
penny pence
Symbol
shilling s or /–
penny d
Banknotes10/–, £1, £5, £10
Coins12d, 1d, 3d, 6d, 1/–, 2/–, 2/6
Demographics
User(s)Flag of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (1953-1963).svg  Rhodesia and Nyasaland
Issuance
Central bank Bank of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
Valuation
Pegged with sterling at par
This infobox shows the latest status before this currency was rendered obsolete.

The pound was the currency of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. It was subdivided into 20 shillings , each of 12 pence .

Contents

History

The Federation was formed in 1953, and the new currency was created in 1955 to replace the Southern Rhodesian pound which had been circulating in all parts of the federation (Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia, and Nyasaland). The Rhodesia and Nyasaland pound replaced the Southern Rhodesian pound at par and was pegged at par to sterling.

The Federation broke up at the end of 1963 and the three territories reverted to being separate British colonies. In the second half of 1964, Nyasaland became independent as Malawi, Northern Rhodesia became independent as Zambia, and Southern Rhodesia declared a name change to Rhodesia. Each issued their own pounds, at par with the Rhodesia and Nyasaland pound. See Malawian pound, Zambian pound and Rhodesian pound.

Coins

The Federation also issued its own coinage. In 1955 a full new set of coins were issued with the Mary Gillick obverse of the Queen and various African animals on the reverse. The denominations followed those of sterling, namely halfpennies and pennies, which had a hole in them, threepences (known as tickeys), sixpences, shillings, a two shilling piece and a half crown. There were further full issues of all these coins in 1956 and 1957, but thereafter only pennies and half pennies were produced until some further issues of sixpences in 1962 and 1963, and threepences in 1963 and 1964. The higher denomination coins, though not particularly rare, are very popular with collectors because of their attractive reverse designs. Threepences and halfpennies were struck in 1964 despite the fact the Federation ended on 31 December 1963.

Standard Coinage [1]
ImageValueTechnical parametersDescriptionDate of
DiameterThicknessMassCompositionEdgeObverseReversefirst mintinglast minting
Rhodesia and nyasaland d0.5 1958.jpg 12 penny21 mm3.0 g Bronze SmoothHole in center flanked by giraffes with crown aboveValue around hole in center flanked by sprigs19551964
Rhodesia and nyasaland d01 1962.jpg 1 penny27 mm6.30 g Bronze SmoothHole in center flanked by elephants with crown aboveValue around hole in center flanked by sprigs19551963
Rhodesia and nyasaland d03 1963.jpg 3 pence16.3 mm1.4 g Copper-nickel ReededElizabeth II bust rightFlame lily divides date19551964
6 pence19.4 mm2.8 g Copper-nickel ReededElizabeth II bust rightLion standing on rock19551963
1 shilling23.6 mm5.7 g Copper-nickel ReededElizabeth II bust rightSable antelope19551957
2 shillings28.4 mm11.2 g Copper-nickel ReededElizabeth II bust rightEagle with talons in fish flanked by initials19551957
Rhodesia and nyasaland d30 1955.jpg 12 crown32.3 mm14.2 g Copper-nickel ReededElizabeth II bust rightCoat of arms of Rhodesia and Nyasaland19551957

Banknotes

From 1956 to 1961, the Bank of Rhodesia and Nyasaland issued notes for 10/–, £1, £5 and £10. [2]

Banknotes of the Rhodesia & Nyasaland Pound 1956 - 1964
Pick
No.
ImageValueDimensionsMain colourDescriptionDate of
ObverseReverseObverseReverseWatermarkprintingissuewithdrawal
20 Rhodesia & Nyasaland 10s 1958 Obverse.png Rhodesia & Nyasaland 10s 1958 Reverse.png 10/–132 × 75 mmBrown African fish eagle and Queen Elizabeth II Lake Nyasa Cecil John Rhodes 1956 - 19643 April 1956
21 Rhodesia & Nyasaland PS1 1956 Obverse.png Rhodesia & Nyasaland PS1 1956 Reverse.png £1148 × 82 mmGreenLeopard and Queen Elizabeth II Great Zimbabwe Cecil John Rhodes1956 - 19643 April 1956
22 Rhodesia & Nyasaland PS5 1957 Obverse.png Rhodesia & Nyasaland PS5 1957 Reverse.png £5160 × 88 mmBlue Sable antelope and Queen Elizabeth II Victoria Falls Cecil John Rhodes1956 - 19643 April 1956
23 Rhodesia & Nyasaland PS10 1957 Obverse.png Rhodesia & Nyasaland PS10 1957 Obverse.png £10168 × 94 mmOrangeLion and Queen Elizabeth IIElephantsCecil John Rhodes1956 - 19643 April 1956

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References

  1. Krause, Chester L.; Clifford Mishler (1991). Standard Catalog of World Coins: 1801–1991 (18th ed.). Krause Publications. ISBN   0873411501.
  2. Linzmayer, Owen (2012). "Rhodesia and Nyasaland". The Banknote Book. San Francisco, CA: www.BanknoteNews.com.
Preceded by:
Southern Rhodesian pound
Reason: creation of federation
Ratio: at par
Currency of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
1956 1964
Succeeded by:
Malawian pound
Location: Malawi
(formerly Nyasaland)

Reason: independence
Ratio: at par
Succeeded by:
Rhodesian pound
Location: Rhodesia
(formerly Southern Rhodesia)

Reason: federation break-up
Ratio: at par
Succeeded by:
Zambian pound
Location: Zambia
(formerly Northern Rhodesia)

Reason: independence
Ratio: at par