Gambian dalasi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gambian dalasi
25 dalasi note and coins from 5 bututs to 1 dalasi
ISO 4217 Code	GMD
User(s)	The Gambia
Inflation	7.1%
Source	The World Factbook, 2019 est.
Superunit
5	pound
Subunit
1⁄100	butut
Symbol	D
Plural	dalasis or dalasi
butut	bututs
Coins	1, 5, 10, 25, 50 bututs, 1 dalasi
Banknotes	5, 10, 20, 25, 50, 100, 200 dalasis

The dalasi is the official currency used in the Gambia, a country in West Africa. It was first used in 1971. Each dalasi is divided into 100 smaller units called bututs. When it was introduced, the dalasi replaced the old Gambian pound. One pound was equal to 5 dalasis.

The word "butut" comes from the Wolof language, where "butuut" means "small thing." This makes sense because bututs are the smallest value of the currency. Over time, due to inflation (when money buys less), bututs coins have become less common. Today, the smallest amount of money you usually see is 50 bututs or 1 dalasi.

Coins of The Gambia: What They Look Like

5, 10, 25, 50 bututs coins

In 1971, The Gambia introduced several new coins. These included values of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 bututs, along with a 1 dalasi coin. The 1 and 5 bututs coins were made of bronze. The 10 bututs coin was brass. The higher value coins (25, 50 bututs, and 1 dalasi) were made from a mix of copper and nickel.

All the coins from this first series showed a picture of the former president, Sir Dawda Jawara.

Changes to Coins Over Time

In 1987, new 1 dalasi coins were made. They were designed to look similar to the 50 pence coin from the United Kingdom. These new, smaller 1 dalasi coins replaced the older, larger ones, which were not used very much.

Later, in 1998, a new set of coins was released. These coins no longer featured President Jawara. Instead, they showed the national coat of arms on the front. Even with the new coins, many of the older Jawara-era coins are still used today. The 1 dalasi coin was also made smaller and lighter in 1998.

Today, mostly 25 and 50 bututs, and 1 dalasi coins are still used. The smaller bututs coins (1, 5, and 10 bututs) are rarely seen because their value is so low.

How Much is a Dalasi Worth?

As of 2021, the value of the dalasi was about 48 dalasis for one US dollar. This means one dalasi was worth about 2 US cents. Because of this low value, the smallest bututs coins are not very useful anymore. Prices are usually set in dalasis. The 1 dalasi coin is still important for making change, especially for the 5 dalasi banknote.

Banknotes of The Gambia: Paper Money

The paper money, or banknotes, currently used in The Gambia come in values of 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, 100, and 200 dalasis. Before 1987, there were also 1 dalasi notes.

New banknotes were first printed in 1996 and then again in 2001. In 2006, the Central Bank of The Gambia released an improved series of notes. These new notes had better designs, thicker paper, and more security features to prevent fake money. For example, the 5 and 10 dalasi notes were coated with a special layer to make them last longer. The 100 dalasi note also got a new silver foil with the number "100" on it for extra security.

Newer Banknote Designs

In 2015, the Central Bank of The Gambia released a new set of banknotes. This series included two new values: a 20 dalasis note (which replaced the 25 dalasis note) and a 200 dalasis note, which was the highest value at the time. All these notes featured a portrait of Yahya Jammeh, who was the president at that time.

However, in 2018, new banknotes were released to replace those with Yahya Jammeh's picture. Then, in June 2019, a completely new series of banknotes was introduced.

Special Commemorative Banknotes

Sometimes, special banknotes are made to celebrate important events.

• A 1 dalasi note was issued in 1978 to mark the opening of the Central Bank of The Gambia's building in Banjul.
• A 20 dalasis note was released in 2014 to celebrate 20 years of progress during Yahya Jammeh's time as president.

• 

  Obverse of the 10 and 25 dalasis notes.

• 

  Reverse of the 10 and 25 dalasis notes.

• 

  Obverse of the 5 and 100 dalasis notes.

• 

  Reverse of the 5 and 100 dalasis notes.

• 

  A 50 dalasis note issued by the Central Bank of the Gambia.

See also

• Economy of the Gambia