Gambian pound facts for kids
The pound (symbol: £) was the money used in the Gambia for a short time, from 1965 to 1971. Before that, Gambia used the British West African pound. Gambia started using its own currency on October 5, 1964. In 1971, a new currency called the dalasi took its place. One Gambian pound was worth 5 dalasis. The pound was divided into 20 shillings (symbol: "s" or "/–"). Each shilling was then split into 12 pence (symbol: "d").
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The Gambian Pound: A Brief History
When The Gambia gained more control over its own government in October 1963, it needed its own money. Before this, it was part of a larger British West African group that shared a currency. The West African Currency Board decided that The Gambia should have its own pound. So, they ordered special banknotes for 10 shillings, £1, and £5 from a British company called Bradbury Wilkinson & Co. Ltd..
These new banknotes were released very quickly, just four days after the new currency rules started on October 1, 1964. The Gambia Currency Board was in charge of this new money.
Later, on November 21, 1966, The Gambia Currency Board also introduced its first coins. These coins were made by the Royal Mint in Britain. They replaced the old British West African coins. The value of the coins stayed the same, but some smaller coins (like the 1/10d and 1/2d) were not made. However, a new 4-shilling coin was put into use. An 8-shilling coin was also made in 1970.
In 1971, the Central Bank of The Gambia took over managing the country's money. They then introduced a completely new system based on decimals. This new money was called the dalasi (symbol: "D"). One dalasi was divided into 100 smaller units called bututs. Just like before, the coins were made by the Royal Mint, and the banknotes were printed by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co. Ltd.
Gambian Coins: What They Looked Like
The first Gambian coins were released on February 18, 1966. They were made by the Royal Mint. The coins came in values of 1 penny, 3 pence, 6 pence, 1 shilling, 2 shillings, and 4 shillings. An 8-shilling coin was added in 1970.
On the front side of every coin, called the obverse, there was a picture of Queen Elizabeth II. The back side of the coins showed different pictures related to The Gambia.
| Value | Year Made | What it was made of | Picture on the Back (Reverse) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1d | 1966 | Bronze | A native sailing boat |
| 3d | 1966 | Aluminium bronze | A Double-spurred spurfowl (a type of bird) |
| 6d | 1966 | Cupronickel | Three peanuts |
| 1/– | 1966 | Cupronickel | An Oil palm tree |
| 2/– | 1966 | Cupronickel | An African domestic ox |
| 4/– | 1966 | Cupronickel | A Slender-snouted crocodile |
| 8/– | 1970 | Cupronickel | A Hippopotamus |
Unique Coins: The 8-Shilling Piece
The 8-shilling coin from The Gambia is very special because it's the only coin of that value ever made anywhere in the world! When the new dalasi currency was introduced, many of the designs from the old coins were reused. For example, the peanut, oil palm, ox, and crocodile designs appeared again on the new dalasi coins. Only the hippopotamus design from the 8-shilling coin was not reused.
Gambian Banknotes: Paper Money
On October 5, 1964, new paper money was introduced by the Gambia Currency Board. These banknotes came in values of 10 shillings, £1, and £5. All of these notes had a picture of a sailing boat with a forest in the background on the front side. These banknotes were printed until 1970.
| Value | Main Colour | Picture on the Back (Reverse) |
|---|---|---|
| 10/– | Green | Local people tending their crops |
| £1 | Red | Labourers working at a wharf (a place where boats load and unload) |
| £5 | Blue | People using hand-powered machines |
See also
- Economy of the Gambia
