Ghana's modern coinage

[<k>]

Map of Ghana in West Africa.

Map of West Africa.

From Wikipedia:

Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a unitary presidential constitutional democracy, located in West Africa. Spanning a land mass of 238,535 km2 (92,099 sq mi), Ghana has a population of around 28 million. Ghana means "Warrior King" in the Soninke language.

The first permanent state in the territory of present-day Ghana dates back to the 11th century. Numerous kingdoms and empires emerged over the centuries, of which the most powerful was the Kingdom of Ashanti. Beginning in the 15th century, numerous European powers contested the area for trading rights, with the British ultimately establishing control of the coast by the late 19th century. Following over a century of native resistance, Ghana's current borders were established by the 1900s as the British Gold Coast.

[<k>]

Flag of the Gold Coast.

The Gold Coast was a British Crown Colony on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa from 1821 to its independence as part of Ghana in 1957.

On 6 March 1957 at 12 am, the Gold Coast, Ashanti, the Northern Territories and British Togoland were unified as one single independent dominion within the British Commonwealth under the name Ghana. This was done under the Ghana Independence Act 1957.

Ghana was the first of Britain's African colonies to become independent, on 6 March 1957. On 1 July 1960 it was declared a republic.

[<k>]

Flag of Ghana.

From Wikipedia:

The national flag of Ghana consists of the Pan-African colours of red, yellow, and green, in horizontal stripes, with a black five-pointed star in the centre of the gold stripe.

The red represents the blood of those who died in the country's struggle for independence from Britain, the gold represents the mineral wealth of the country, the green symbolises the country's rich forests and natural wealth, and the black star is the symbol of African emancipation. The black star was adopted from the flag of the Black Star Line, a shipping line incorporated by Marcus Garvey that operated from 1919 to 1922.

[<k>]

Ghana's coat of arms.

From Wikipedia:

The first quarter, on the upper left shows a sword used by chiefs, and a staff used by the linguist at ceremonies. These are symbols of the traditional authority of Ghana.

The second quarter shows a representation of Osu Castle on the sea, the presidential palace on the Gulf of Guinea, symbolising the national government.

The third quarter of the shield shows a cacao tree, which embodies the agricultural wealth of Ghana.

The fourth quarter shows a gold mine, which stands for the richness of industrial minerals and natural resources in Ghana.

A gold lion centred on a green St George's Cross, with gold fimbriation on the field of blue, represents the continuing link between Ghana and the Commonwealth of Nations.

The crest is a Black star of Africa with gold outline, upon a torse in the national colours.

Supporting the shield are two golden Tawny eagles, with the Order of the Star of Ghana suspended from their necks.

The compartment upon which the supporters stand is composed of a grassy field, under which a scroll bears the national motto of Ghana: Freedom and Justice.

[<k>]

Kwame Nkrumah, the first prime minister of Ghana.

Until 1958 Ghana had used the British West African pound. It introduced the Ghanaian pound in 1958.

The common obverse of its first coinage carried a portrait of Kwame Nkrumah.

He was the first prime minister and then president of Ghana.

[<k>]

The obverse of the half penny of 1958.

The portrait of Nkrumah was the work of British artist Paul Vincze.

The coins were produced by the Royal Mint, UK.

The half penny and penny were made of bronze.

[<k>]

The reverse of the half penny.

The halfpenny was 21mm in diameter. A farthing was never issued.

The African star of freedom, which also features on Ghana's flag, appeared on the reverse of all the coins.

[<k>]

The penny was 25.5 mm in diameter.

[<k>]

The three pence was made of copper-nickel and scalloped.

It weighed 3.3 g and had a diameter of 19.5 mm.

Guernsey was the only other territory to issue a scalloped three pence, in 1956.

[<k>]

Ghana's sixpence was, I believe, the smallest sixpence of the British Empire and Commonwealth.

It weighed 2.2 g and had a diameter of 16.5 mm.

[<k>]

Ghana's shilling was only 21mm in diameter. It weighed 4.5 g.

[<k>]

The 2 shillings coin was 26.5 mm in diameter. It weighed 8.9 g.

There was no half crown (2 shillings and 6 pence).

[<k>]

The obverse of the 10 shillings coin.

Ghana issued a collector 10 shillings coin as part of its first independence coinage of 1958.

It was made of silver and was 38 mm in diameter. It weighed 28.28 g.

The Latin inscription translates as "Founder of the Ghanaian state".

[<k>]

The reverse of the 10 shillings coin.

[<k>]

Cecil Thomas designed the portrait of President Kwame Nkrumah on Ghana's gold 2 pounds coin of 1960.

The coin commemorated Independence Day. The initials of Cecil Thomas appear at bottom left.