Coinage of Botswana

Started by <k>, December 14, 2016, 08:46:33 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

<k>

Botswana in Africa.jpg

Botswana's location in Africa.

Botswana map.gif

Map of Botswana.

From Wikipedia:

The Republic of Botswana is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens refer to themselves as Batswana (singular: Motswana). Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966. Since then, it has maintained a strong tradition of stable representative democracy.

With just over 2 million people, Botswana is one of the most sparsely populated nations in the world. Around 10 percent of the population lives in the capital and largest city, Gaborone. Botswana is topographically flat, with up to 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahari Desert. Formerly one of the world's poorest countries, Botswana has transformed itself into one of the fastest-growing economies. The economy is dominated by mining, cattle, and tourism. Botswana's GDP per capita is one of the highest in Africa, giving the country a modest standard of living and the highest Human Development Index of continental Sub-Saharan Africa.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#1
Gaborone.jpg

Gaborone, capital city of Botswana.


From Wikipedia:

In the late nineteenth century, hostilities broke out between Tswana inhabitants of what is now Botswana and the Ndebele tribes who were making incursions into the territory from the north-east. Tensions also escalated with the Dutch Boer settlers from the Transvaal to the east. After appeals by the Batswana leaders for assistance, the British Government put Bechuanaland under its protection on 31 March 1885. The northern territory remained under direct administration as the Bechuanaland Protectorate and is now modern-day Botswana. The southern territory, British Bechuanaland, became part of the Cape Colony and is now part of the northwest province of South Africa. The majority of Setswana-speaking people today live in South Africa.

An expansion of British central authority and the evolution of tribal government resulted in the 1920 establishment of two advisory councils to represent both Africans and Europeans. Proclamations in 1934 regulated tribal rule and powers. A European-African advisory council was formed in 1951, and the 1961 constitution established a consultative legislative council.

In June 1964 the United Kingdom accepted proposals for a democratic self-government in Botswana. The seat of government was moved in 1965 from Mafikeng in South Africa, to the newly established Gaborone, near Botswana's border with South Africa. The 1965 constitution led to the first general elections and to independence on 30 September 1966. Seretse Khama, a leader in the independence movement and the legitimate claimant to the Ngwato chiefship, was elected as the first President and subsequently re-elected twice.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#2
Botswana flag.png

From Wikipedia:

Before independence, the protectorate used the flag of the United Kingdom as its de facto flag. Botswana's national flag was created in 1966. The black stripe with the white frame symbolizes the peace and harmony between the people of African and European descent who reside in Botswana. It also represents the stripes of the zebra, Botswana's national animal.

The light blue represents water—specifically rain, since Botswana relies on agriculture but suffers from frequent droughts due to the arid climate of the Kalahari Desert.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#3
Coat of arms of Botswana.jpg

From Wikipedia:

The coat of arms of Botswana was adopted on January 25, 1966. The centre shield, in the shape of a traditional East African shield, is supported by two zebras.The three cogwheels represent industry. The three waves symbolize water. The nation's motto, pula, is shown on the blue ribbon. It means simply "rain" but also good luck, and it is the name of the nation's currency.

The head of a bull symbolizes the importance of cattle herding in Botswana. The two zebras also symbolize the importance of wildlife, through tourism, in the national economy. Their black and white stripes also represent equality of people of all colors. The zebra on the right holds an ear of sorghum, an important crop in the nation. The zebra on the left holds a tusk of ivory, symbolic of the former ivory trade in Botswana.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#4
Botswana 10 thebe 1966.jpg

Botswana 50c 1966.jpg

Botswana, collector coins of 1966: 50 cents and 10 thebe.


Upon independence in 1966, Botswana, which at that time still used the South African rand, issued two collector coins that portrayed Sir Seretse Khama (1921 – 1980): a silver 50 cents and a gold 10 thebe.

From Wikipedia:

Born into one of the more powerful of the royal families of what was then the British Protectorate of Bechuanaland, and educated abroad in neighbouring South Africa and in the United Kingdom, Seretse Khama returned home to lead his country's independence movement. He founded the Botswana Democratic Party in 1962 and became Prime Minister in 1965. In 1966, Botswana gained independence and Khama became its first president. Khama remained president until his death from pancreatic cancer in 1980, when he was succeeded by Vice President Quett Masire.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#5
INTRODUCTION OF THE PULA

From Wikipedia:

The pula is the currency of Botswana. It is subdivided into 100 thebe. Pula literally means "rain" in Setswana, because rain is very scarce in Botswana — home to much of the Kalahari Desert — and therefore valuable and a blessing. The sub-unit, thebe, means "shield", representing defence. The names were picked with the help of the public.

The pula was introduced in 1976, replacing the South African rand at par. The pula remains one of the strongest currencies in Africa. In 1976, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 thebe and 1 pula. The 1 thebe was struck in aluminium, with the 5 thebe in bronze and the others in cupro-nickel. These coins were round except for the scalloped 1 pula.


The new coins were designed and modelled by Royal Mint artist and engraver Michael Hibbit.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#6
Botswana 1 thebe-1976.jpg


The 1 thebe coin was made of aluminium.

It weighed 0.7 grams and had a diameter of 18.5 mm.


The obverse featured the Botswanan shield of arms.

IPELEGENG means SELF-SUFFICIENCY.


The reverse design depicted the turaco bird.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#7


The turaco bird (Tauraco corythaix).
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#8
Botswana 5 thebe-.jpg


The 5 thebe coin was made of bronze.

It weighed 2.7 grams and had a diameter of 19.5 mm.


The obverse featured the Botswanan shield of arms


From Numista:

The word "Ipelegeng" means "to be self sufficient or independent".
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Botswana 5 thebe.jpg

The reverse of the 5 thebe portrayed a red-billed hornbill.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#10


A red-billed hornbill (Tockus erythrorhynchus).
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#11
Botswana 10 thebe 1976--.jpg


The 10 thebe coin was made of copper-nickel.

It weighed 3.83 grams and had a diameter of 22 mm.


The obverse featured the Botswanan shield of arms.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Botswana 10 thebe 1984.jpg

The reverse of the 10 thebe portrayed a South African oryx.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Gemsbok.jpg


The gemsbok or South African oryx (Oryx gazella) is a large antelope.

It is native to the extremely dry, arid regions of Southern Africa, notably the Kalahari Desert.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#14
Botswana 25 thebe-1976-.jpg

Botswana, 25 thebe, 1976.



Botswana 50 thebe  1976.jpg

Botswana, 50 thebe, 1976.


The 25 and 50 thebe coins were made of copper-nickel.

Here you see their common obverse.

It featured the full national coat of arms.


The word IPELEGENG does not appear on the obverse of the 50 thebe coin.

It appears on the reverse instead.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.