Fijian dollar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fijian dollar
Dola ni Viti  (Fijian) फिजियन डॉलर  (Fiji Hindi)
A current FJ$5 note
ISO 4217 Code	FJD
User(s)	Fiji
Inflation	2.5%
Source	Reserve Bank of Fiji, Sep 2023 est.
Subunit
1⁄100	cent
Symbol	FJ$ or FJD
cent	c
Coins	5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1, $2
Banknotes
Freq. used	$5, $10, $20, $50, $100
Rarely used	88c , 100c, $7, $2000

The Fijian dollar (currency sign: FJ$, $; currency code: FJD) is the money used in Fiji. It has been Fiji's official currency since 1969. Before that, it was also used between 1867 and 1873.

People usually shorten it to $, or sometimes FJ$. This helps tell it apart from other types of dollars. One Fijian dollar is made up of 100 cents.

History of the Fijian Dollar

Why Fiji Chose the Dollar

Fiji decided to use a "dollar" system for its money. This was similar to what countries like South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand did. They chose the dollar because its value was closer to the US dollar. It was not as high in value as the pound sterling, which was used before.

The Second Fijian Dollar (1969–Present)

The Fijian dollar was brought back on January 15, 1969. It replaced the Fijian pound. One Fijian pound was worth two Fijian dollars. So, if you had 10 shillings, it became FJ$1.

Even though Fiji became a republic in 1987, Queen Elizabeth II's picture stayed on the coins and banknotes. This changed in 2013. Her portrait was replaced with pictures of Fiji's amazing plants and animals.

Fijian Coins

A collection of Fijian coins

In 1969, Fiji introduced new coins. These were for 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, and 20c. A 50c coin was added in 1975. These coins were similar in size and material to Australian coins.

Later, in 1990, the materials used for coins changed. For example, 1c and 2c coins were made of copper-plated zinc. In 1995, a $1 coin was introduced. It replaced the $1 banknote.

In 2009, smaller coins were made for 5c to 50c. The 1c and 2c coins were stopped that same year. A thinner $1 coin was introduced in 2010.

In 2013, Fiji released a whole new set of coins. These coins featured local animals and plants. They no longer had the Queen's portrait. A $2 coin was also introduced. It replaced the $2 banknote. This new $2 coin was first a bit confusing. It looked too much like the $1 coin. So, in 2014, it was replaced with a larger, thicker, Spanish flower-shaped $2 coin. The materials for the $1 and $2 coins were also changed. This made them stronger and less likely to corrode.

Here's a look at the coins from the 2012 series:

Fijian Banknotes

First Dollar Banknotes

A 10-dollar Treasury Note from 1872, payable at Levuka

In 1867, the government in Fiji started printing 1 dollar notes. More notes came out between 1871 and 1873. These included $1, $5, $10, $25, and $50 notes.

King Seru Epenisa Cakobau also issued notes during this time. These were for smaller amounts like 12+1⁄2¢, 25¢, 50¢, 100¢, and $5. The town of Levuka also printed its own $1 and $5 notes in the 1870s.

Second Dollar Banknotes

A special two-dollar banknote from 2000

On January 15, 1969, the government introduced new banknotes. These were for 50 cents, $1, $2, $10, and $20. The $5 note came out a year later in 1970.

The Central Monetary Authority took over printing money in 1974. The 50c note was replaced by a coin in 1975. In 1986, the Reserve Bank of Fiji started issuing notes. The $1 note was replaced by a coin in 1995. A $50 note was introduced in 1996. Then, a $100 note came out in 2007.

Today, the banknotes you will see are $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100.

2007 Banknote Series

This table shows details about the banknotes issued in 2007.

2007 Series
Image	Value	Dimensions	Main colour	Description		Date of issue	Date of first issue	Watermark
				Obverse	Reverse
	$2	131 × 67 mm	Green	Mohar (sovereign locket); domodomo (canoe masthead); Queen Elizabeth II; Fijian coat of arms	Children, National Stadium in Suva, Korobas mountains	2007	10 April 2007	Fijian head and electrotype 2
	$5	136 × 67 mm	Brown	Katoni Masima; domodomo (canoe masthead); Queen Elizabeth II; Fijian coat of arms	Mount Valili, Fiji Crested Iguana, Balaka palm, Masiratu flower	2007	10 April 2007	Fijian head and electrotype 5
	$10	141 × 67 mm	Purple	i Buburau ni Bete; domodomo (canoe masthead); Queen Elizabeth II; Fijian coat of arms	Joske's Thumb; Grand Pacific Hotel	2007	10 April 2007	Fijian head and electrotype 10
	$20	146 × 67 mm	Blue	Foa; domodomo (canoe masthead); Queen Elizabeth II; Fijian coat of arms	Fish processing; cutting lumber; mining; train; Mount Uluinabukelevu	2007	10 April 2007	Fijian head and electrotype 20
	$50	151 × 67 mm	Red	Wasekaseka; domodomo (canoe masthead); Queen Elizabeth II; Fijian coat of arms	Ceremonial presentation of Tabua and Yaqona	2007	10 April 2007	Fijian head and electrotype 50
	$100	156 × 67 mm	Yellow	Buli Kula; domodomo (canoe masthead); Queen Elizabeth II; Fijian coat of arms.	Map of Fiji; Tourism	2007	10 April 2007	Fijian head and electrotype 100

2012 Banknote Series

This table shows details about the banknotes from the 2012 series.

Special Commemorative Banknotes

Fiji has also released special banknotes to celebrate important events:

• 2000: A 2-dollar note for the Millennium.
• 2000: A 2,000-dollar note for the Millennium.
• 2017: A 7-dollar note to celebrate the Fijian rugby sevens team winning at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
• 2020: A 50-dollar note for Fiji's 50th Independence Anniversary.
• 2022: A 7-dollar note for the Fijian Rugby 7s team's win at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
• 2022: An 88-cent note featuring the Chinese God of Wealth.
• 2023: A 100-cent note for the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Dragon.

Changes to Fijian Money

In 2005, Fiji decided to introduce a $100 banknote. They also decided to stop using the 1 and 2 cent coins. This was because it cost more to make these coins than they were worth.

At first, Queen Elizabeth II's portrait remained on all banknotes. Her image was updated in 2007. However, in 2011, Fiji announced a big change. They would remove Queen Elizabeth II from their coins and notes. Instead, they would feature local flora (plants) and fauna (animals).

This new set of coins and notes was shown in December 2012. They were put into use on January 2, 2013. The new coins included a $2 coin to replace the note. The $1 coin also became thinner and lighter.

The new banknotes feature Fiji's unique plants and animals. The $5 note, which used to be paper, is now made from polymer plastic. This makes it more durable.

The $2 note stopped being legal money on March 31, 2013. The $5 note also changed its color to green. These changes were part of making the currency more modern and unique to Fiji.

See also

• Economy of Fiji
• Australian dollar
• New Zealand dollar
• Solomon Islands dollar