Rhodesian Coinage Discussion.

Here's a section that will interest the history buffs on the board.It is about the coins of Rhodesia,which didn't issue very many coin types.The first Rhodesian coins were struck at the South African Mint,
Pretoria in 1964.Although there are no mintmarks,the designer's initials,'T.S.' is a giveaway,as these coins were designed by Tommy Sasseen,who also designed South African coins.The 1964 issue is dual-denominated,with the 6d. being inscribed 5c.,the 1/- inscribed 10c.,
the 2/- inscribed 20c.,& the 2/6 inscribed as 25c.There are 2 reasons why the coins are dual-denominated.The first reason was to get the public familiarised with the decimal system,& the second reason was to
allow the coins to remain legal tender after the change over to decimal currency.The Rhodesian 1964 coinage was the first to utilise Arnold Machin's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.The other country to utilise Arnold Machin's portrait on pre-decimal coins was Gambia.

In 1965,Rhodesia was declared an independent Dominion by Ian Smith's well-known Unilateral Declaration of Independence (U.D.I.).This was condemned by the international community,especially the British Commonwealth.In 1966,the rebel Rhodesian Government decided to issue a series of gold coins to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the U.D.I..This was a series of 3 denominations - 10/-,1 Pound,& 5 Pounds,
which occasionally turn up in a black box inscribed,'RESERVE BANK OF RHODESIA' & depicts the Zimbabwe ruins.In 1968,the 3d. (or Tickey),
which does not have a decimal value inscribed, was issued to replace the Tickey of the Federation of Rhodesia & Nyasaland.

Rhodesia changed over to decimal currency on the 17th of February 1970.The coins that were issued at that time was the 1/2c.,the 1c.,& a
2-1/2c. Tickey.The 1/2d. & 1d. of Rhodesia & Nyasaland were rapidly withdrawn from circulation.The decimal coins carry the Rhodesian Coat-of-Arms,as the rebel Rhodesian Government had won a majority in a referendum in late 1969 to declare Rhodesia a Republic,which was declared on the 2nd of March 1970,but gained no recognition,not even from apartheid-regime-ruled South Africa.The 1964 coins remained in use as 5c.,10c.,20c.,& 25c. coins right until their withdrawal from circulation in 1980.In 1973,the Rhodesian 5c. first made its appearance.The 1st. type depicts the Rhodesian Coat-of Arms alone on the obverse.The 2nd. type 5c. has 'RHODESIA' inscribed below the Coat-of-Arms.This was struck from 1975 until 1977.The 10c. made its appearance in 1975 as a one year type.The 20c. coin was issued in both
1975 & 1977,& the 25c. was also a one year type coin as well,having been issued in 1975.1977 was to be the last year of Rhodesian coin issues,as the economic situation was changing,not only due to the sanctions,but also due to the Rhodesian Army,Air Force,& the British South Africa Police being forced into fighting against an alphabet soup of terrorist organisations,especially the Z.A.N.U. organisation of Robert Mugabe,in a civil war right until 1979,when Rhodesia's U.D.I. was declared null & void by the British Governor,Christopher,
Baron Soames (the son-in-law of Sir Winston Churchill).In the space of 1 year,Rhodesia's constitutional situation changed rapidly,as Ian Smith was forced to resign as Prime Minister of Rhodesia in favour of an unrecognised transitional regime called 'Zimbabwe-Rhodesia'.In April 1980,Rhodesia gained independence within the British Commonwealth as the Republic of Zimbabwe with the Rev. Canaan Banana as the non-executive President of Zimbabwe & Robert Mugabe as Prime Minister.

Aidan.