Rhodesia and Nyasaland pound

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

Rhodesia and Nyasaland pound
10/– note
Unit
Unitpound
Pluralpounds
Symbol£
Denominations
Subunit
120shilling
1240penny
Plural
pennypence
Symbol
shillings or /–
pennyd
Banknotes10/–, £1, £5, £10
Coins12d, 1d, 3d, 6d, 1/–, 2/–, 2/6
Demographics
User(s) Rhodesia and Nyasaland
Issuance
Central bankBank of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
Valuation
Pegged withsterling at par
This infobox shows the latest status before this currency was rendered obsolete.

History

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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

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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]
Image Value Technical parameters Description Date of
Diameter Thickness Mass Composition Edge Obverse Reverse first minting last minting
  12 penny 21 mm 3.0 g Bronze Smooth Hole in center flanked by giraffes with crown above Value around hole in center flanked by sprigs 1955 1964
  1 penny 27 mm 6.30 g Bronze Smooth Hole in center flanked by elephants with crown above Value around hole in center flanked by sprigs 1955 1963
  3 pence 16.3 mm 1.4 g Copper-nickel Reeded Elizabeth II bust right Flame lily divides date 1955 1964
6 pence 19.4 mm 2.8 g Copper-nickel Reeded Elizabeth II bust right Lion standing on rock 1955 1963
1 shilling 23.6 mm 5.7 g Copper-nickel Reeded Elizabeth II bust right Sable antelope 1955 1957
2 shillings 28.4 mm 11.2 g Copper-nickel Reeded Elizabeth II bust right Eagle with talons in fish flanked by initials 1955 1957
  12 crown 32.3 mm 14.2 g Copper-nickel Reeded Elizabeth II bust right Coat of arms of Rhodesia and Nyasaland 1955 1957

Banknotes

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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.
Image Value Dimensions Main colour Description Date of
Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse Watermark printing issue withdrawal
20     10/– 132 × 75 mm Brown African fish eagle and Queen Elizabeth II Lake Nyasa Cecil John Rhodes 1956 - 1964 3 April 1956
21     £1 148 × 82 mm Green Leopard and Queen Elizabeth II Great Zimbabwe Cecil John Rhodes 1956 - 1964 3 April 1956
22     £5 160 × 88 mm Blue Sable antelope and Queen Elizabeth II Victoria Falls Cecil John Rhodes 1956 - 1964 3 April 1956
23     £10 168 × 94 mm Orange Lion and Queen Elizabeth II Elephants Cecil John Rhodes 1956 - 1964 3 April 1956

References

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  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.
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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