Coinage of Botswana

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The 10 thebe coin of 2013.

Above you see the 10 thebe coin.

It weighed 2.8 grams and had a diameter of 20 mm.

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The 25 thebe coin of 2013.

Above you see the 25 thebe coin.

It weighed 4.2 grams and had a diameter of 22 mm.

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The 50 thebe coin of 2013.

Above you see the 50 thebe coin.

It weighed 5.3 grams and had a diameter of 24 mm.

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Botswana: nickel-plated steel coins of 2013.

Previously the diameters of the 5, 10, 25 and 50 thebe coins had been, respectively:

17 mm, 18 mm, 21 mm and 21.5 mm.

The size gaps between the 5 and 10 thebe and between the 25 and 50 thebe were very small.

This was liable to cause confusion in some cases.


The corresponding new diameters were:

18 mm, 20 mm, 22 mm and 24 mm.

The coins were very slightly larger, but the gap between them was now sufficient.


There was now a 4 mm difference between the diameters of the round coins.

There was also a 4 mm difference between the diameters of the heptagonal coins.


Also, the lone bronze-plated coin (5 thebe) was now minted in nickel-steel.

It made sense to mint the few thebe denominations all in the same metal and colour.

Presumably the use of the same metals for these coins brought cost savings too.

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Obverse of the 1 pula coin of 2013.

The 1 pula coin was round and made of brass-plated steel.

It weighed 7.8 grams and had a diameter of 26 mm.


The previous 1 pula coin had been heptagonal and made of nickel-brass.

It weighed 8.8 grams and had a diameter of 24 mm.

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Reverse of the 1 pula coin of 2013.

The figure of the galloping zebra was retained.

Now, however, a busy scenic background had been added to the design.

See:  Pictorial coin designs with added or deleted details.

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Obverse of the 2 pula coin of 2013.

The 2 pula coin was round and bimetallic.

It had a bronze-plated steel centre within a nickel-plated steel ring.

Depictions of sorghum heads appeared within and around the ring.

The coin weighed 7.3 grams and had a diameter of 27 mm.


The previous 2 pula coin had been heptagonal and made of brass-plated steel.

It weighed 6 grams and had a diameter of 24.5 mm.

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Reverse of the 2 pula coin of 2013.

The reverse of the 2 pula coin retained the rhinoceros design.

Now the rhinoceros appeared higher up the coin.

It was also closer to the edge of the coin field.

Sorghum heads now appeared around the outer ring.


The denomination now appeared below the rhino.

Previously it had appeared above it.

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The 5 pula coin of 2013.

The 5 pula coin remained the highest denomination of the coinage.

The 2013 coin was once more bimetallic.

It had a copper-nickel centre within a brass ring.


It weighed 8.7 grams and had a diameter of 28 mm.

The previous version had weighed 6 grams.

Its diameter was only 23.5 mm.

The new coin was therefore significantly larger.

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Mopane worm.

From Wikipedia:

Gonimbrasia belina is a species of emperor moth which is native to the warmer parts of southern Africa. Its large edible caterpillar, known as the mopane worm, feeds primarily but not exclusively on mopane tree leaves. Mopane worms are an important source of protein for many in the region.

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Leaves of the mopane tree.

Stylised depictions of these leaves appear around the ring of the 5 pula coin.

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Botswana: 1, 2 and 5 pula coins of 2013.

The wildlife designs on the reverse of the pula coins.

They are all fine designs.


The caterpillar and zebra are depicted against a natural background.

However, the rhino is not. This is inconsistent.

Does it matter?

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Botswana, 5 pula, 2007.




Botswana, 5 pula, 2013.

There are interesting differences between the 5 pula coins of 2007 and 2013.

The 2007 version did not show the stylised leaves on the obverse.

They appeared only on the reverse.


There are other differences regarding the fonts and other minor elements.

These are noticeable in the positioning of the leaves and of the zebras.

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CONCLUSION

The Botswanan coinage has seen several changes since 1976.

They have always been logical and coherent.


From the start, the wildlife designs formed a beautiful set.

The designs are of high quality and cohere well.

Five of the original designs are retained in the current series.


Botswana was the first country to put a zebra on its circulation coins.

The 5 pula caterpillar design is a unique theme on world circulation coins.


There have been 7 heptagonal types and 3 bimetallic coins over the years.

Previous types include a scalloped pula coin and a 12-sided FAO-themed 2 thebe coin.


Botswanan coins have many features to interest collectors.

This ends my survey of the coinage.

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Image courtesy of the Royal Mint Museum.


See also:  Botswana, first coinage: adopted and unadopted designs.