Coinage of the Gambia

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THE GAMBIA



Banjul, capital city of the Gambia.

From Wikipedia:

The Gambia, officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa that is almost entirely surrounded by Senegal, with the exception of its western coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. It is the smallest country within mainland Africa. The Gambia is situated on both sides of the lower reaches of the Gambia River, the nation's namesake, which flows through the centre of The Gambia and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. It has an area of 10,689 square kilometres (4,127 sq mi) with a population of 1,857,181 as of the April 2013 census. Banjul is the Gambian capital.

The Gambia shares historical roots with many other West African nations in the slave trade, which was the key factor in the placing and keeping of a colony on the Gambia River, first by the Portuguese. Later, on 25 May 1765, The Gambia was made a part of the British Empire when the government formally assumed control, establishing the Province of Senegambia. In 1965, The Gambia gained independence under the leadership of Dawda Jawara.

The Gambia's economy is dominated by farming, fishing and, especially, tourism. In 2015, 48.6% of the population lived in poverty. In rural areas, poverty is even more widespread, at almost 70%.

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Map of the Gambia.

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Map of the Gambia within western Africa.

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The Gambian coat of arms.

From Wikipedia:

The coat of arms of The Gambia has been in use since 18 November 1964. It depicts two lions holding an axe and hoe, supporting a shield that depicts another pair of hoe and axe, crossed. Atop the shield is set the heraldic helmet and an oil palm as a crest. At the bottom is the national motto: Progress – Peace – Prosperity.

The two lions represent the colonial history of The Gambia as part of the British Empire. The crossed axe and hoe represent the importance of agriculture to The Gambia. They are also considered to represent the two major ethnic groups of The Gambia: the Mandinka and the Fulani. The crest, a palm tree, is also a vital national tree.

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Flag of the Gambia.

From Wikipedia:

The colours of the Gambian flag carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The blue alludes to the Gambia River, which is the nation's key feature and from which the country derives its name. The red evokes the sun – given the Gambia's close proximity to the Equator – as well as the savanna, while the thin white stripes represent "unity and peace". The green epitomizes the forest and the agricultural goods that the Gambian people are heavily dependent on, both for exports and their personal use.

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INTRODUCTION OF THE GAMBIAN POUND

The Gambia used the British West African pound until it issued its own banknotes on October 5, 1964. The Gambian pound was then the currency of the Gambia until 1971. One Gambian pound was made up of 20 shillings, each shilling being made up of 12 pence.

The Gambian coins were not issued until 1966. In 1965 the Gambia was planning a referendum to decide whether the country should become a republic: Gambian republic referendum, 1965. For that reason, the Gambian authorities decided that the Queen should be portrayed on the obverse of the 1966 coins, but with the simple legend of Gambia. Then, whatever happened, the Queen could be regarded either as the head of state or the head of the Commonwealth, and her portrait would still be legitimate until the situation changed.

From Wikipedia:

A referendum on becoming a republic was held in the Gambia on 24 November 1965. If the referendum had passed, the post of president would have replaced Elizabeth II as head of state, and thus eliminated the post of Governor-General.

There were 154,626 registered voters for the referendum, with 93,484 valid votes cast. 65.85% of voters voted for the proposal, but failed to reach the two-thirds support required for the proposal to be accepted.

A second referendum was held in 1970, which resulted in a successful "yes" vote. Prime Minister Dawda Jawara was elected president by the parliament, replacing Elizabeth II (represented by Farimang Mamadi Singateh) as head of state on 24 April 1970.

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GAMBIA'S COINAGE OF 1966

The Gambian coinage was minted at the Royal Mint (UK).

The obverse featured Arnold Machin's portrait of the Queen.

English artist and sculptor Michael Rizzello provided the reverse designs for the coinage.

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The obverse of the penny.

This coin was made of bronze.

It weighed 5.7 grams and had a diameter of 25.5 mm.

This made it somewhat smaller than its British counterpart.

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The reverse of the penny featured a sailing boat.

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The obverse of the 3 pence coin.

The coin was made of nickel-brass.

It weighed 5.2 grams and was 21.5 mm in diameter.

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The reverse of the 3 pence coin.

The reverse design featured a double-spurred Francolin (Pternistis bicalcaratus).

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A double-spurred Francolin (Pternistis bicalcaratus).

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The reverse of the 6 pence coin.

The reverse design featured peanuts.

The coin was made of copper-nickel.

It weighed 2.8 grams and was 19.5 mm in diameter.

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The reverse of the shilling.

The reverse design featured a palm tree.

The coin was 23.5 mm in diameter.

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The obverse of the 2 shillings coin.

The 2 shillings coin was made of copper-nickel.

It weighed 11.3 grams and was 28.3 mm in diameter.

The obverse featured the Queen, as did the six pence and shilling.