Coinage of Ethiopia since 1977

Started by <k>, August 15, 2020, 06:00:51 PM

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<k>



Map of Ethiopia.





Ethiopia and its neighbours.


From Wikipedia:

With over 109 million inhabitants as of 2019, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the world and the second-most populous nation on the African continent after Nigeria. The country has a total area of 1,100,000 square kilometres (420,000 sq mi). Its capital and largest city is Addis Ababa, which lies a few miles west of the East African Rift that splits the country into the African and Somali tectonic plates. Ethiopian national identity is grounded in the historic and contemporary roles of Christianity and Islam, and the independence of Ethiopia from foreign rule, stemming from the various ancient Ethiopian kingdoms of antiquity.

During the late–19th-century Scramble for Africa, Ethiopia and Liberia were the only two nations that preserved their sovereignty from long-term colonisation by a European colonial power, and many newly independent nations on the continent subsequently adopted its flag colours. However, the country was later occupied by Italy in 1936 and became Italian Ethiopia (part of Italian East Africa), until it was liberated during World War II.

Ethiopia was also the first independent African member of the 20th-century League of Nations and the United Nations. In 1974, the Ethiopian monarchy under Haile Selassie was overthrown by the Derg, a communist military government backed by the Soviet Union. In 1987, the Derg established the People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, but it was overthrown in 1991 by the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, which has been the ruling political coalition ever since.

Ethiopia and Eritrea use the ancient Ge'ez script, which is one of the oldest alphabets still in use in the world. They follow the Ethiopian calendar, which is approximately seven years and three months behind the Gregorian calendar. A majority of the population adheres to Christianity (mainly the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and P'ent'ay). Ethiopia is a multilingual nation, with around 80 ethnolinguistic groups, the four largest of which are the Oromo, Amhara, Somali and Tigrayans.

The country is a land of natural contrasts, with its vast fertile west, its forests and its numerous rivers, and the world's hottest settlement of Dallol in its north. The Ethiopian Highlands are the largest continuous mountain ranges in Africa. In the 1970s and 1980s, Ethiopia experienced civil conflicts and communist purges, which hindered its economy. The country has since recovered and as of 2010 has the largest economy (by GDP) in East Africa, as well as having the largest population in the region. Despite these improvements, it remains one of the world's poorest countries.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#1


Emblem of Ethiopia.


From Wikipedia:

The Emblem of Ethiopia has been in its current form since 1996. It contains a yellow interlaced pentagram radiating rays of light on a blue shield. Today, the pentagram stands for the unity of the people and nationality of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#2


Flag of Ethiopia.


From Wikipedia:

The national flag of Ethiopia was adopted on 31 October 1912. The three traditional colours of green, yellow and red date back to Iyasu V (reigned 1913–1916). The green recalls the land, yellow stands for peace and hope, and red is symbolic of strength.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#3
NEW COIN SERIES OF 1977

In 1977 Ethiopia issued a new design series of coins. By this time Ethiopia was under the control of the Derg, a Soviet-backed Marxist–Leninist military dictatorship led by Mengistu Haile Mariam. The communist nature of the regime was reflected in the designs of the new coinage.

The coins were produced by the Royal Mint (UK). The designs were the work of Stuart Devlin.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#4
Ethiopia 1 santeem.jpg

Ethiopia, 1 santim, 1977.


The 1 santim coin is made of aluminium and is 17 mm in diameter.


The Ethiopian birr is subdivided into 100 santim.

Birr means silver in the local languages.

The word santim derives from the French centime.


The common obverse of the coins depicts the Lion of Judah.

The reverse of the 1 santim depicts a farmer using two oxen to plough a field.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#5
Ethiopia 5 santim.jpg

Ethiopia, 5 santim, 1977.


The 5 santim coin is made of brass-plated steel.

The reverse design depicts a soldier of the People's Army.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#6
Ethiopia obverse.jpg

Ethiopia, 5 santim, 1977.


Here you see the obverse of the 5 santim coin.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#7
Ethiopia 10 santim.jpg

Ethiopia, 10 santim, 1977.


The 10 santim coin is made of brass-plated steel.

The reverse design features a mountain nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni).
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#8
Ethiopia 25 santim.jpg

Ethiopia, 25 santim, 1977.


The 25 santim coin is made of nickel-plated steel.


The reverse design shows a man and a woman.

Their hands are raised and their fists clenched.

Each is holding a tool in one hand.


The effect of the design is exuberantly revolutionary.

In the background is a factory.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#9
Ethiopia 25 santim-.jpg

Ethiopia, 25 santim, 1977.


Here you see the obverse of the 25 santim coin.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#10
Ethiopia 50 santim.jpg

Ethiopia, 50 santim, 1977.


The 50 santeem apparently comes in two varieties.

One is copper-nickel and the other is copper-nickel-plated steel.


Once again, we have a revolutionary-looking design on the reverse.

A group of workers wield variously a book, a gun, a hammer, a plough and a sickle.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#11
Ethiopia 1 birr.jpg

Ethiopia, 1 birr, 2010.


In 2010 Ethiopia issued a new denomination, the 1 birr coin.

It was bimetallic and 27 m in diameter.

Above you see the obverse of the coin.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#12
Ethiopia 1 birr-.jpg

Ethiopia, 1 birr, 2010.


The reverse of the coin featured the scales of justice.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#13
Ethiopia set.jpg

Here is how the coins look together, in terms of size.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.