Coinage of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)

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NEW COIN SERIES, DATED 2015.

A new coin series was issued in February 2016.

However, the coins were dated 2015.

All the previous coins were recalled and demonetised.


The 2015-dated series retained all the previous design themes.

However, its composition differed from the 2009 to 2011 series in several ways.


The 2015 series did not include a 5 cents coin.

Unlike the previous series, it included 2 and 5 emalangeni coins.

The 10, 20 and 50 cent coins were now all made of stainless steel.

The lilangeni and emalangeni coins were now all made of aluminium-bronze.


This series of coin types was issued in 2015 only.

It was the last time that the circulation coins carried the name SWAZILAND.

The country name was changed to Eswatini in April 2018.

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Obverse of the 10 cents coin of 2015.

The 10 cents coin was the lowest denomination of the series.

It was round with a scalloped inner rim.

It weighed 3.5 g and had a diameter of 18 mm.


It was made of stainless steel.

The previous version had been made of copper-plated steel.

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The reverse of the 10 cents coin retained the sugar cane design.

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Obverse of the 20 cents coin of 2015.

The 20 cents coin was round with a scalloped inner rim.

It had 12 inner notches.

The previous version had had only 8 inner notches.


The coin weighed 4.5 g and had a diameter of 22 mm.

It was therefore slightly larger and heavier than the previous version.


It was made of stainless steel.

The previous version had been made of nickel-plated steel.

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The reverse of the 20 cents coin retained the elephant design.

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Obverse of the 50 cents coin of 2015.

The 50 cents coin was round with a polygonal inner rim.

Like the previous version, it had 12 inner notches.


The coin weighed 6.5 g and had a diameter of 26 mm.

It was therefore slightly smaller than the previous version.


The coin was made of stainless steel.

The previous version had been made of nickel-plated steel.

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The reverse of the 50 cents coin featured the coat of arms as usual.

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Obverse of the 1 lilangeni coin of 2015.

The coin was made of aluminium-bronze.

It weighed 4 grams and had a diameter of 20 mm.


The obverse of the 2 and 5 emalangeni coins looked just the same.

They were also round and made of aluminium-bronze.

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The reverse of the 1 lilangeni coin featured the Queen Mother as usual.

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Reverse of the 2 emalangeni coin of 2015.

The coin was made of aluminium-bronze.

It weighed 5 grams and had a diameter of 24 mm.

The reverse featured arum lilies as usual.

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Reverse of the 5 emalangeni coin of 2015.

The coin was made of aluminium-bronze.

It weighed 7 grams and had a diameter of 28 mm.


The reverse featured the coat of arms.

The previous circulation version of 2003 had also done so.

That version was made of brass and was slightly smaller.

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THE SAME DESIGN ON TWO DENOMINATIONS

Interestingly, the circulation 50 cents and 5 emalangeni coins both featured the coat of arms.

Perhaps in future years the 50 cents coin might be given its own thematic design.

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NEW COIN SERIES OF 2018 TO 2021

A new coin series was started in 2018.

It retained the previous design themes.


The new 10, 20, 50 cents and 1 lilangeni coins were issued in 2018.

The new 2 and 5 emalangeni coins were issued in 2021.


The coins carried the new country name of Eswatini.

The name had been adopted in 2018.


In all other respects, the series was identical to the 2015 series.

The size, shape, weight and metal of the different denominations remained unchanged.

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Eswatini: coins of 2018.

Image © Murtaza Karimjee.

These were the first coins that showed the new country name: Eswatini.

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Obverse of the 2 emalangeni coin of 2021.

Image © Taigawirbel.

The new 2 and 5 emalangeni coins were issued in 2021.

They showed the new country name: ESWATINI.


These are the highest denominations of the series.

They completed the set.


The reverse designs were the same as in 2015.

So too were the size, weight and metal content.