Coinage of Malawi

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Location of Malawi in Africa.




Map of Malawi.

From Wikipedia:

The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in south-east Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. Malawi is over 118,000 km2 (45,560 sq mi) in area, with an estimated population of 18,091,575 as at July 2016. Lake Malawi takes up about a third of Malawi's area. Its capital is Lilongwe, which is also Malawi's largest city.

The part of Africa now known as Malawi was settled by migrating Bantu groups around the 10th century. Centuries later in 1891 the area was colonised by the British. In 1953 Malawi, then known as Nyasaland, a protectorate of the United Kingdom, became a protectorate within the semi-independent Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. The Federation was dissolved in 1963. In 1964 the protectorate over Nyasaland was ended and Nyasaland became an independent country under Queen Elizabeth II with the new name Malawi. Two years later it became a republic. Upon gaining independence it became a totalitarian one-party state under the presidency of Hastings Banda, who remained president until 1994. Malawi currently has a democratic, multi-party government headed by an elected president.

Malawi is among the world's least-developed countries. The economy is heavily based in agriculture, with a largely rural population. The Malawian government depends heavily on outside aid to meet development needs. There is a diverse population of native peoples, Asians and Europeans, with several languages spoken and an array of religious beliefs.

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The arms were adopted on June 30, 1964. They show: in the upper part, the waves of Lake Malawi; in the middle, the lion of England;  and in the base a sun, symbolising the rise of a new nation.

The supporters are a lion and leopard, the two largest predators in the country. The arms are placed on the Mulanje mountain range, the highest in the country. The crest shows again symbols of Lake Malawi (fish eagle, waves) and a sun. The motto is "Unity and Freedom".

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From Wikipedia:

The first flag of independent Malawi was adopted on 6 July 1964. The rising sun represents the dawn of hope and freedom for the continent of Africa. The 31 rays of the sun represent the fact that Malawi was the 31st African nation at the time of its independence. The black represents the indigenous people of the continent, the red symbolizes the blood of their struggle, and the green represents nature.

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THE MALAWIAN POUND.

From Wikipedia:

From 1932, Malawi (named Nyasaland at that time) used the Southern Rhodesian pound. In 1955 a new currency was introduced, the Rhodesia and Nyasaland pound. This was replaced by the Malawian pound in 1964, following Malawi's independence. The pound was subdivided into 20 shillings, and each shilling was subdivided into 12 pence. At that time, the Malawian pound was at par with the UK pound,

In 1964 coins were issued in copper-nickel. Their denominations were six pence, a shilling, a florin (two shillings) and a half crown (2½ shillings). All bore the portrait of Hastings Banda.

The Malawian pound was descended from the UK pound, and its first predecimal coins were of the same size as their British counterparts. The UK predecimal coins were rather large and heavy compared to other coins of that time, and this meant that the Malawian coins were too.

Initially Malawi did not issue a penny or 3 pence coin. The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland had been dissolved on December 31 1963.  The three newly independent successor countries of the former Federation were Malawi, Zambia and Rhodesia.  Their governments had a provisional agreement that allowed the Federal coins of the denominations 1 penny and 3 pence  to remain in circulation throughout the former Federation. Malawi eventually issued its own penny coin in 1967. However, it never issued its own 3 pence coin during the short time that was left before the decimalisation of the currency, which occurred in 1971.

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The common obverse of the coinage featured a portrait of President Hastings Kamuzu Banda.

It was designed by Paul Vincze for the Royal Mint (UK).

He was also responsible for all the reverse designs, and his initials "PV" can be seen on all the coins.

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The reverse design on the six pence coin featured a cockerel.

This bird also appeared on the emblem of President Banda's ruling Malawi Congress Party.

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The reverse design of the shilling depicted corn cobs.

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The reverse design of the florin depicted an elephant mother and child.

This was the first circulation coin to depict an animal mother and child since the so called Irish barnyard set of 1928.

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Malawi was the only black-ruled African country to issue a half crown after independence.

It featured the national coat of arms.

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In 1966 Malawi issued a crown (equivalent to 5 shillings) to commemorate becoming a republic.

It was a collector coin only and did not circulate.

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Malawi issued a penny in 1967. Curiously, the denomination appeared on both sides.

The coin completed the country's predecimal circulation series.

Neighbouring Zambia had issued a penny in 1966.

The two coins look rather similar.

Both were made at the Royal Mint (UK) and were 27mm in diameter.

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THE END OF PREDECIMAL COINAGE.

The penny was the final predecimal coin type to be issued.

The final coins minted were the penny and the shilling dated 1968.

No Malawian predecimal coins were minted after 1968.


Decimalisation took place in Malawi in 1971.

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Paul Vincze's original design for the Malawi florin.

See also the predecimal designs that were not ultimately adopted:

Malawi: pre-decimal variations.

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THE MALAWIAN KWACHA.

Malawi adopted a decimal currency in 1971. The kwacha replaced the Malawian pound at a rate of two kwacha to one pound. The name kwacha derives from the Nyanja and Bemba word for "dawn".

The kwacha was subdivided into 100 tambala. The word tambala translates as "cockerel" in Nyanja. The subunit was so named because a cockerel appeared on the first one tambala coin. The cockerel was the symbol of President Banda's political party. Malawi issued new coinage in 1971, in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 tambala.

Malawi's pre-decimal coinage had been designed by Paul Vincze for the Royal Mint. Some of his designs were carried forward to the new coinage, and he added two new designs: a paradise whydah appeared on the 2 tambala, whilst the 5 tambala featured a purple heron.

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Paul Vincze's portrait of President Banda was retained as the common obverse of the new coinage.

It now appeared for the first time on a bronze coin, because the 1 and 2 tambala coins were made of bronze.