Thematic sets from the 1920s to date

[<k>]

1968.

Rhodesia completed its first independent coin series in 1968.

In 1964 Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland had become independent from the British, as Zambia and Malawi respectively. This left Southern Rhodesia as a British colony. Britain intended the country to become independent under black majority rule, but the white-led government changed its name to Rhodesia and then declared its independence from Britain in 1965. Britain, however, refused to recognise either its independence or its new name.

Rhodesia had issued its first independent coinage in 1964, consisting of sixpence, a shilling, two shillings, and two shillings and sixpence. The coins were also denominated in cents, in preparation for decimalisation. They were also the first coins in the world to carry Arnold Machin's new effigy of Queen Elizabeth II. In 1968 Rhodesia completed the set by adding a threepence that featured three spear points, but this was the only coin of the set that was not denominated in cents. It was also the last Rhodesian coin to carry the Queen's portrait: Rhodesia declared itself a republic in 1970.

See also: Southern Rhodesia / Rhodesia and Nyasaland / Rhodesia.




6d.   Flame lily.
1s.   Coat of arms.
2s.   Zimbabwe bird.
2/6.  Sable antelope.

Designer: Tommy Sasseen.

[<k>]

1968.

Zambia went decimal and released a new coin series.

Some of the old designs were transferred from the pre-decimal coins.

Two new designs were added: an aardvark and a martial eagle.

See also: Zambia.




1  ngwee.  Aardvark.
2  ngwee.  Martial eagle.
5  ngwee.  Morning glory flower.
10 ngwee.  Trumpeter hornbill.
20 ngwee.  Bohor reedbuck.

Common obverse: President Kenneth Kaunda.

Designer: Norman Sillman.

[<k>]

1969.

Fiji issued its first decimal coinage in 1969 and became independent from the British in 1970. The coin series depicted traditional implements from the islanders' cultural heritage, whilst the Machin effigy of Elizabeth II appeared on the common obverse. A dollar coin was issued for collectors only. The 50 cent coin showing an outrigger was not added until 1975.

See also: The decimal coinage of Fiji.




1c.    Tanoa. Communal serving bowl.
2c.    Fan.
5c.    Lali. Drum.
10c.  Ula tavatava. Throwing club.
20c.  Tabua. Ceremonial whale's tooth on chain.

Designer: J. Kenneth Payne.

[<k>]

1969.

Jamaica gained independence from Britain in 1962 and released its first decimal coinage in 1969. The series depicted Jamaican fauna and flora. Unusually, the set contained both a 20 cents and a 25 cents coin: these replaced the two shilling coin and the two shillings and sixpence (half crown) respectively. A 50 cents coin was not added until 1975.

See also: Decimal coinage of Jamaica.




1c.    Ackee.
5c.    American crocodile.
10c.  Homerus Swallowtail butterfly on blossom of lignus vitae tree.
20c.  Blue mahoe trees.
25c.  Streamertail hummingbird.

Designer: Christopher Ironside.

[<k>]

1970.

Bermuda, a British overseas territory, released its first modern coinage.

The original designs are still used on the present coins.

See also: Modern coinage of Bermuda.




1c.      Wild boar.
5c.      Queen angel fish.
10c.    Bermuda lily.
25c.    White-tailed tropic bird.
50c.    Coat of arms.

Designer: Michael Rizzello.

[<k>]

1970.

The New Hebrides, an Anglo-French condominium (now independent Vanuatu), added 1, 2 and 5 franc denominations in 1970.

A new set came together that celebrated the nation's cultural heritage.

See: Coinage of the New Hebrides.




1     franc.    Stylised frigate bird.
2     francs.  Stylised frigate bird.
5     francs.  Stylised frigate bird.
10   francs.  Native mask flanked by cowry.
20   francs.  Native mask flanked by cowry.
50   francs.  Carved ceremonial staff of natives.
100 francs.  Carved ceremonial staff of natives.

Designer: Raymond Joly.

[<k>]

1971.

Chile issued a short-lived design series featuring national heroes. KM198 , the 2 escudos coin, was minted only in 1971. The coin pattern was minted in silver proofs with 50 specimens, and also in a copper zinc nickel alloy that was minted as official currency but was never released for circulation. The Chilean mint recorded 106 specimens made

See also: Chile 1971 heroes set.




10 centesimos.  Bernardo O'Higgins.
20 centesimos.  José Manuel Balmaceda.
50 centesimos.  Manuel Xavier Rodríguez Erdoíza.
1  escudo.        José Miguel Carrera .
5  escudos.      Lautaro.

[<k>]

1971.

Gambia went decimal in 1971, but it transferred the designs from its pre-decimal coins onto the new ones.

Queen Elizabeth's effigy was replaced by one of the Gambian president.

See also:

1] Coinage of the Gambia.

2] Gambia's predecimal to decimal design transition.




1  butut.     Peanuts.
5  bututs.   Yacht.
10 bututs.  Double-spurred francolin.
25 bututs.  Oil palm.
50 bututs.  Cow.
1  dalasi.    Long-nosed crocodile. 

Obverse: President Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara.

Designer: Michael Rizzello.

[<k>]

1971.

Guernsey, a British crown dependency, went decimal in 1971 and for the first time released a full range of coins, to match those of the UK.

See also: Milestones in the decimal coinage of Guernsey. 




½p.   Value.
1p.    Gannet.
2p.    Sark windmill.
5p.    Guernsey lily.
10p.  Guernsey cow.
50p.  Ducal cap of the Duke of Normandy.

Designer: Paul Vincze, except 50 pence by Sir Anthony Wagner.

Common obverse: Coat of arms.

[<k>]

1971.

Guinea adopted a new currency system. 1 syli was divided into 100 cauris. The designs depicted national heroes.

See also: Coinage of Guinea.




50 cauris.  Cowrie shell.
1   syli.       Patrice Lumumba.
2   sylis.     Alpha Yaya Diallo.
5   sylis.     Almamy Samory Touré.

[<k>]

1971.

Indonesia released four new denominations in 1970 and 1971, forming an attractive bird set.

Indonesia would return to the bird theme in subsequent decades.

See also: Indonesia, Birds, and Wallace's Line.




1   rupiah.    Fantail flycatcher.
2   rupiah.    Rice plant and cotton plant.
5   rupiah.    Black drongo.
10  rupiah.   Rice plant and cotton plant. 
25  rupiah.   Victoria crowned pigeon.
50  rupiah.   Greater Bird of Paradise.

[<k>]

1971.

Ireland went decimal in 1971, retaining some old designs and issuing some new ones.

See also: Ireland's hybrid decimal design series.




½p.   Mythical bird.
1p.    Mythical bird.
2p.    Mythical bird.
5p.    Bull.
10p.  Salmon.
50p.  Woodcock.

[<k>]

1971.

The Isle of Man, a British crown dependency, went decimal in 1971 and for the first time released a full range of coins, to match those of the UK.

See also: Milestones in the decimal coinage of the Isle of Man.




½p.   Cushag flower.
1p.    Ring chain pattern.
2p.    Falcons.
5p.    Tower of Refuge.
10p.  Three legs of Man.
50p.  Viking ship.

Designer: Christopher Ironside.

[<k>]

1971.

Malawi went decimal in 1971. Some of the old predecimal designs were retained and two new ones added: a paradise whydah and a purple heron.
They were still being issued years later. A 50 tambala coin was not added until 1986.

See also: Malawi.




1  tambala.  Domestic cock.
2  tambala.  Paradise whydah.
5  tambala.  Purple heron.
10 tambala.  Corn cob.
20 tambala.  Elephants.

Common obverse: Dr. Kamuzu Banda.

Designer: Paul Vincze.

[<k>]

1972.

The Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory, released its first coinage in 1972. The highest circulating coin was the 25 cents.

See also: The coinage of the Cayman Islands.




1c.    Great Caiman thrush.
5c.    Prawn.
10c.  Hawksbill turtle.
25c.  Caiman schooner.

Designer: Stuart Devlin.