Rhodesian pound
Encyclopedia
The pound was the currency of Rhodesia
from 1964 until 1970. It was subdivided into 20 shilling
s, each of 12 pence
.
, when Southern Rhodesia
changed its name to simply Rhodesia
. The Rhodesian pound replaced the Rhodesia and Nyasaland pound
at par and the coins and banknotes of this earlier currency continued to circulate.
Like its predecessor, the Rhodesian pound was initially pegged to the British pound
. When the British pound was devalued from US$2.8 to US$2.4 in 1967, Rhodesia switched its peg to 1 pound = US$2.8. In 1970, the pound was replaced by the dollar
, at a rate of 1 pound = 2 dollars.
in English
, rather than in Latin
, as had been the case on the coins of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and Southern Rhodesia.
on the obverse. The reverse designs were reused on the new dollar notes introduced in 1970.
Prior to UDI
, Rhodesia was a member of the sterling zone. The banknotes were printed and supplied from the UK
by the printers Bradbury Wilkinson
. After UDI, the British
government expelled Rhodesia from the sterling zone and the supply of banknotes dried up. This very soon had an adverse effect in Rhodesia, and the shortage of new notes and the condition of those in circulation began to become a pressing concern.
In early 1966, the Reserve Bank of Rhodesia ordered a completely new series of Rhodesian pound banknotes from the German
printers Giesecke & Devrient
in Munich
. A court injunction prevented the banknotes from being despatched to Rhodesia, and the entire order was destroyed by the printers. Substitute consignments were printed in Rhodesia between 1966 and October 1968.
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
from 1964 until 1970. It was subdivided into 20 shilling
Shilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
s, each of 12 pence
Penny
A penny is a coin or a type of currency used in several English-speaking countries. It is often the smallest denomination within a currency system.-Etymology:...
.
History
The Rhodesian pound was introduced following the break-up of the Federation of Rhodesia and NyasalandFederation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, also known as the Central African Federation , was a semi-independent state in southern Africa that existed from 1953 to the end of 1963, comprising the former self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia and the British protectorates of Northern Rhodesia,...
, when Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
changed its name to simply Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
. The Rhodesian pound replaced the Rhodesia and Nyasaland pound
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.-History:...
at par and the coins and banknotes of this earlier currency continued to circulate.
Like its predecessor, the Rhodesian pound was initially pegged to the British pound
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
. When the British pound was devalued from US$2.8 to US$2.4 in 1967, Rhodesia switched its peg to 1 pound = US$2.8. In 1970, the pound was replaced by the dollar
Rhodesian dollar
The dollar was the currency of Rhodesia between 1970 and 1980. It was subdivided into 100 cents.-History:The dollar was introduced on February 17, 1970, less than a month before the declaration of a republic on March 2, 1970. It replaced the pound at a rate of 2 dollars to 1 pound...
, at a rate of 1 pound = 2 dollars.
Coins
In 1964, coins were introduced for 6 pence, 1, 2 and 2½ shillings, marked as 6D, 1’-, 2’- and 2’6. These coins also bore a denomination in cents (5C, 10C, 20C and 25C, respectively) although Rhodesia did not decimalize until 1970. In 1968, 3 pence coins were introduced which did not bear a denomination in cents. All coins had the title of Queen Elizabeth IIElizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, rather than in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, as had been the case on the coins of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and Southern Rhodesia.
Banknotes
Banknotes were issued in denominations of 10 shillings, 1 and 5 pounds. All notes featured Queen Elizabeth IIElizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
on the obverse. The reverse designs were reused on the new dollar notes introduced in 1970.
Prior to UDI
Unilateral Declaration of Independence (Rhodesia)
The Unilateral Declaration of Independence of Rhodesia from the United Kingdom was signed on November 11, 1965, by the administration of Ian Smith, whose Rhodesian Front party opposed black majority rule in the then British colony. Although it declared independence from the United Kingdom it...
, Rhodesia was a member of the sterling zone. The banknotes were printed and supplied from the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
by the printers Bradbury Wilkinson
Bradbury Wilkinson
Bradbury Wilkinson & Co were an English engraver and printer of banknotes, postage stamps and share certificates. The original company was begun in 1856 by Henry Bradbury . In 1861 the company was established at New Malden in Surrey where it remained until the 1986 when it was acquired by De La Rue...
. After UDI, the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
government expelled Rhodesia from the sterling zone and the supply of banknotes dried up. This very soon had an adverse effect in Rhodesia, and the shortage of new notes and the condition of those in circulation began to become a pressing concern.
In early 1966, the Reserve Bank of Rhodesia ordered a completely new series of Rhodesian pound banknotes from the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
printers Giesecke & Devrient
Giesecke & Devrient
Giesecke & Devrient is a German company headquartered in Munich that provides banknote and securities printing, smart cards, and cash handling systems....
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. A court injunction prevented the banknotes from being despatched to Rhodesia, and the entire order was destroyed by the printers. Substitute consignments were printed in Rhodesia between 1966 and October 1968.