Ghana's modern coinage

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Ghana, 50 cedis, 1979.

A large aluminium-bronze 50 pesewas coin was issued in 1979 only.

It was 32 mm in diameter and weighed 12.36 grams.

It is listed as a FAO-themed commemorative but includes no references to FAO.

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Ghana, 1 cedi, 1979.

An aluminium-bronze 1 cedi coin was issued in 1979 only.  Diameter: 30 mm.

This was the first aluminium-bronze heptagonal coin. It was produced by the Royal Mint, UK.

Michael Rizzello produced the new obverse design of a cowrie shell.

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Ghana, 50 cedis, 1984.

Ghana issued another brass 50 pesewas coin in 1984.


This version was far smaller than the 1979 coin.

It weighed 1.5 g and was 17 mm in diameter.


The denticles on the inner rim of the coin had also been removed.

No later coin bore the denomination of pesewas until the redenomination of 2007.

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Ghana, 1 cedi, 1984.

The 1 cedi coin was also reduced in size 1984.

It was now round, with a diameter of 19 mm, and weighed only 2.3 grams.

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Ghana, 5 cedis, 1984.

Because of increasing inflation, a new denomination was also added in 1984: the 5 cedis coin.

It was made of brass, with a diameter of 22 mm and weighed only 3.8 grams.

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COINAGE OF THE 1990s

Ghana's inflation rate increased significantly in the 1990s.

It peaked at almost 60% in 1995.


As a result, six new high denomination coins were issued.

The highest of these was the 500 cedis coin.


The 1990s were the final decade for coins of the second cedi.

No new coinage types for the second cedi were minted after 1999.

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Ghana, 5 cedis, 1991.

A new 5 cedis coin was issued in 1991.

It was a one-year type only.


The new coin was almost identical to the 5 cedis coin of 1984.

It was of the same size and shape.


However, it was now made of brass-plated steel instead of nickel-brass.

This meant that the coin was cheaper to produce.


There was one other change.

The denomination was now shown as a numeral.

Previously it was shown as a word: "FIVE".

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Ghana, 10 cedis, 1991.

In 1991 a 10 cedis coin was issued for the first time.

It was heptagonal and made of nickel-clad steel.

It had a diameter of 21.8 mm and weighed 3.5 grams.

This coin was a one-year type only.

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Ghana, 20 cedis, 1991.

A 20 cedis coin was also issued for the first time in 1991.

It was also made of nickel-clad steel.

It weighed 5.4 grams and was 24.5 mm in diameter.


The coin was also issued dated 1995, 1997 and 1999.

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Ghana, 50 cedis, 1991.

A 50 cedis coin was also issued in 1991.

Again, it was a new denomination.


The coin was made of copper-nickel.

It weighed 7.5 grams and was 27.5 mm in diameter.

This version was a one-year type only.

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Ghana, 100 cedis, 1991.

The highest of the new denominations issued in 1991 was the 100 cedis. 

It was a bimetallic coin, having a brass centre within a copper-nickel ring.

Bimetallic coins were becoming newly fashionable around that time.


The coin weighed 6.5 grams and was 26 mm in diameter.

It was also issued dated 1997 and 1999.

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A closer look at the reverse of the 100 cedis coin.

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Ghana, 50 cedis, 1999.

In 1995 a new 50 cedis coin type was issued.

It was made of nickel-plated steel.


The previous version had been made of copper-nickel.

Otherwise, the new coin was of the same size, shape and weight as before.


This coin type was also issued dated 1997 and 1999.

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Ghana, 200 cedis, 1998.

In 1996 yet another new denomination was issued. It was a heptagonal 200 cedis coin.

The coin was made of nickel-plated steel. It weighed 8.5 grams and was 28 mm in diameter.

This coin was issued dated 1996 and 1998.

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Obverse of the 500 cedis coin of 1998.

In 1996 the highest circulating denomination ever was released.

It was a round nickel-brass 500 cedis coin.

It weighed 9 grams and had a diameter of 23.5 mm.