Africa

A quartet of notes from Nigeria, all printed on polymer plastic. It comprises the 5,10, 20 and 50 naira dated 2007 to 2009 (P32-5) The fronts feature portraits of prominent citizens whilst the backs feature traditional dancers, women carrying pots, fishermen preparing fish and a woman at a potter’s wheel. Crisp Uncirculated.

St. Thomas and Prince lies off the coast of West Africa. This island group issued a new set of banknotes last year all printed in polymer plastic. Getting hold of these was exceptionally difficult because of the authorities reluctance to release quantities to visiting dealers. We managed to get some of the 5 and 10 dobras and very pretty they are too! Butterflies are the principal theme. On the back of the 5 dobras a Sao Tome shrew is featured while a Sao Tome Prinia bird perched on a branch is on the back of the 10 dobras Uncirculated.

In 1884 the city of Khartoum was under siege. General Charles Gordon who was in charge of the city needed money to keep his troops on side and to ensure the city could function. To this end he issued notes which bore his facsimile signature in values from the 1 piastre to the 5000 piastres. The Mahdi forces eventually stormed Khartoum and Gordon was killed. Anyone caught with one of these General Gordon issues would have been put to death. We can now offer examples of the 500 piastres note issued by General Gordon. They were necessarily small and crude affairs, printed on cardlike paper on one side only (PS106) A relic of an heroic stand by a legendary 19th century general.

A trio of Uncirculated notes from Tanzania which used to be known as Tanganika and Zanzibar. It’s a colourful set. The front of the 1000 shilingi features a portrait Tanzania’s first President Julius Nyerere while the front of the 2000 shilingi depicts the head of a lion while the head of a rhino is on the 5000 shilingi. Important buildings and a mining operation and diamonds are depicted on the back. Crisp Uncirculated.

ACrisp Uncirculated quartet of high value notes from Mozambique dated between 1993 and 2003. (P138-9 & P141-142) Included are examples of the 50,000, 100,000, 200,000 and 500,000 meticais. The Bank of Mozambique building is on the fronts. Illustrations on the back include the barrage of the Cabora Bassa Hydroelectric dam, Dancing warriors and Steelworkers. Current catalogue is a whopping US$100 but this set is available to our collectors at just £14.50.

Swaziland 10 emalageni P29 Blue King Mswati at l/ View over countryside with pylons etc Unc