World coins chat: Rhodesia & Zimbabwe

The areas of present-day Zimbabwe were known as Shonaland and Matabeleland in the 19th century. It was English businessman Cecil Rhodes who had specific interest in the area after gold deposits were found. He founded the British South Africa Company and sought to gain control of the area in two Matabele Wars. During the second of these wars, General Baden-Powell became a national hero and the war inspired him to start the boy scouts movement.

In 1923 Southern Rhodesia became a crown colony and started issuing its own coins at par with sterling. In 1953 the self-governing Southern Rhodesia and protectorates Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) and Nyasaland (now Malawi) were merged into the Federation of Rhodesia & Nyasaland which lasted until 1963.

Prime minister Ian Smith declared Rhodesia an independent country in 1964 and established a white minority regime which was a pariah in the international community and only supported by Portugal and South Africa. In 1970 Rhodesia was suspended from the Commonwealth and became a republic. It also replaced the Rhodesian Pound for the decimalised Rhodesian Dollar at a 2$=£1 rate. The Rhodesian Dollar had an official exchange rate around US$1.40 or 1 Rand, but was unofficially worth around 30% less. Still it was a stable and strong currency.

The Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) led by Robert Mugabe started an insurgency known as the Bush War. Ravaged by international sanctions, the Rhodesian government offered a ceasefire in 1979 and general elections, which led to the name change into Zimbabwe in 1980. Mugabe was first celebrated for his achievements but his regime became more and more autocratic and violent against other minorities. The dispossessments of many white-owned farms caused a 90% drop in productivity and an exodus of skilled people. This ravaged the Zimbabwean economy which eventually led to the hyperinflation from 2006 onward. From 2009 Zimbabwe uses US Dollars and from 2014 it has issued bond coins (pegged to USD) to deal with the shortage in small change, although the public is weary of using them fearing for a return of an untrustworthy Zimbabwean currency.

Redenominations (all named Dollar):
2006: 1000 ZWD to 1 ZWN
2008: 10,000,000,000 ZWN to 1 ZWR
2009: 1,000,000,000,000 ZWR to 1 ZWL.

Coins of the various forms of Rhodesia are quite in demand with commonwealth collectors and trade with decent premiums. Zimbabwean coins are not that difficult to find. During the hyperinflation only $10 and $25 were minted but never saw much use.

Southern Rhodesia:
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/rhodesie_du_sud-1.html

Rhodesia & Nyasaland:
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/rhodesie_et_nyassaland-1.html

Rhodesian £ from 1964 and R$ from 1970:
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/rhodesie-1.html

Zimbabwe:
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/zimbabwe-1.html

Zimbabwe currency and its bond notes were told about on the Canadian version of Storage Wars, overdubbed for French TV 24th channel RMC Découverte as one auctionned box contained hyperinflation bond notes.

This shows that good intentions aren't always the best path; specially if you are tslking about national economy. Not because you have many poors the best thing to do is "print money for everyone", because the next day your money will be worth an exact % less equal to the amount printed. This is why most countries only print money in at les 90% of notes that need replacement, and only 1-10% "new money". This is also a reason for the usual inflation; as you can't even prinr a new dollar if there isn't something solid behind it to back it up. Something banks don't with credits and the 2009 crash.

My Rhodesian and Zimbabwean coins are definitely some of my favourites, and their popularity among collectors is interesting but perhaps not surprising. The Rhodesian issues have double appeal, because they are from a country that no longer exists and they are British Commonwealth issues. The Zimbabwean issues get a lot of attention on eBay because the Zimbabwean hyperinflation has become the world-famous definition of a modern economic collapse - so everybody wants to buy some "worthless" money and the highest-denomination notes are selling for more now on eBay than they were ever worth as currency


The Southern Rhodesian penny was an interesting issue that seems to be unique in the British Commonwealth, with its small center hole and varying composition. The Tudor rose is an interesting attempt to bring traditional British motifs to really far-flung places.


The smaller denominations have some interesting designs.


But my favourites are the larger denominations, especially the shilling and half crown. Yes, that's the same bird on the shilling that appears on the modern Zimbabwean flag. Meanwhile, the Southern Rhodesian shield (based on Cecil Rhodes' own coat of arms) is quite nice.


The most interesting Southern Rhodesian coin was this one-year type - it is also the only crown ever issued for the country. This coin is notable for a few reasons...

- It's the first British coin to feature a non-monarch on it since the days of Oliver Cromwell - it has the Churchill crown beat by 12 years.

- It's the only crown issued for a British colony in Africa outside of South Africa.

- They put Cecil Rhodes on a coin?! Wow



I also have a pound note from Southern Rhodesia. Although it is quite worn-out, it is still the pride of my banknote collection.



The British were always rearranging their colonies, and eventually Southern Rhodesia joined the conglomerate of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. This federation had three parts - Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), and Nyasaland (now Malawi). You would think that this expanded colony would have three times more coins issued for it, but in my experience Southern Rhodesian coins are slightly more common than Rhodesian/Nyasalandic coins. Perhaps the fact that Rhodesia and Nyasaland was quite short-lived can explain this.

The coins of Rhodesia and Nyasaland are all beautiful and the half-crown is my favourite coin in the world that features nothing but a coat of arms. Good luck to everyone who's still looking for a coin from this trio of colonies.

Eventually, the countries around Southern Rhodesia became independent, and the "Southern" was dropped from the name. Rhodesia's independence was put on the back-burner because the British would only grant the country independence if the Rhodesians ended the situation of minority rule. A tiny white minority (numbering less than 10% of the population) had control over the entire country and almost all of its land. This minority preferred to remain as a colony than to become independent and face a situation where the black majority of the country could overthrow their rule. Some would argue that Rhodesia was more classist than racist, but the Charleston shooter was found with a Rhodesian flag patch on his jacket so this particular lost cause should probably just stay lost.

The solution for the Rhodesians was to Unilaterally Declare Independence. This way, Rhodesia would be able to maintain its discriminatory policies without having to worry about the increasingly de-colonial British trying to meddle in their affairs.



A country in transition - these first decimal issues of independent Rhodesia have both pre-decimal and decimal denominations on them. They also have interesting designs - some re-used from the pre-decimal series, others engraved for the first time.

Because of Rhodesia's new international pariah status, duties and responsibilities formerly assumed by London had to be undertaken in Salisbury. The British flatly refused to strike Rhodesian coins or print Rhodesian currency as part of their sanctions program. The South Africans, though, with their similarly isolated and racist regime, were more than happy to help. Chief South African engraver Thomas Sasseen (an ethnic Lebanese - this is the only source I can find on him) put together designs for the new series of Rhodesian coins and would go on to design all subsequent coin issues until the country's demise in 1979. The Rhodesians may have been morally suspect, but they were also quite industrious and the quality of Rhodesian coins and notes soon equaled or even exceeded the quality seen back in Britain.


After Rhodesia was kicked out of the Commonwealth, the Rhodesian coat of arms replaced Queen Elizabeth II on the country's coins.

This is the end of Rhodesia - a settlement was reached in 1979 to reconcile with the country's African majority and by 1980 Robert Mugabe was leader of the new nation of Zimbabwe. The previous Rhodesian government had brought prosperity and political freedom (their parliamentary government was inherited from the British) to a tiny white minority. The tragedy is that Mugabe's government has brought prosperity and political freedom to absolutely nobody. Mugabe's misrule has made Rhodesia seem almost appealing in retrospect, which perhaps helps to explain the ex-country's popularity among its die-hard supporters. As in many other African nations, the white minority in Zimbabwe soon had their land and property taken away from them (as they had feared) and were expelled from the country. Unfortunately, most of the country's professionals were white, so Zimbabwe had just inflicted a deliberate brain drain on itself, and it only got worse from there. Poorly-planned land redistribution led to famine, policies of state terror were enforced against Mugabe's political opponents, and Zimbabwe today stagnates under one of the world's most corrupt, incompetent, and irresponsible dictatorships. All of the country's problems are blamed on the interference of the British, a statement that might have been true fifty years ago but today is just a sad attempt to deflect the blame onto something, anyone, anything but Mugabe. The only ray of hope is that Mugabe himself is 91 and can't stay in good health forever. In 2008, Queen Elizabeth II herself revoked Mugabe's knighthood (bestowed in 1994).



The coins of Zimbabwe. The designs are quite nice. The $1 coin features Great Zimbabwe, a centuries-old stone structure from which the country derives its name. When the British discovered this obvious evidence of civilization in sub-Saharan Africa, they were dumbfounded and soon came up with stupid theories that Great Zimbabwe was actually built by Arabs, who had somehow gotten lost and ended up in the middle of Africa. No - it's proof that the people of Africa can be just as civilized as any other people - a lesson that seems to have been continually ignored all over the world, but especially in the lands of Zimbabwe.

Cita: nalaberong

This is the type of Rhodesian coin I have.

I think you didn't search for new bond coins till now?

I just picked-up this set of 1955 Rhodesia-Nyasaland coins. All but the 1/2 Crown are available for swapping.

I have a couple of Zimbabwe coins and only one from Rhodesia and Nyasaland, which is by far my favorite of the bunch.

The new Bond Coins from Zimbabwe. No name on coins, only the initials RBZ (Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe). The facial value is equivalente to US Dollar.

This is a set of coins used in the early 2000s inflation era

 

 

The set features coins issued between 2001 and 2003. There is the 10c, 20c, 50c, and $1 which are the same as the 1980 coins except they are now minted in Stainless steel.

 

The gold $2 coin shows a pangolin, the bimetallic $5 shows a Rhino and the last 2 are stainless steel heptagonal - $10 shows the cape buffalo and $25 has Independence heroes. 

 

The coins were quickly made useless and 2004 to 2009 was the era of banknotes and agri cheques.

 

No more coins came until the bond coins of 2014 shown above.

2015 saw the $1 and $2 bond coin added, but inflation again has made them worthless. Its 100 Zimbankwe bond dollaz to a dolla.

Rhodesia was never an independent state within the British Commonwealth - as it was legally a British colony right through to April 1980.

 

As for the Bond Notes - only the 2 & 5 Dollars dated 2016 are what was released.

 

I have got nearly all of the Bond Coins in my collection.

 

Aidan.

They have issued banknotes now up to $100, but I think the word “Bond” has gone as they have become worthless.

 

UPDATE Jan 2025/. This Zimbabwe bond dollar was at 30,000 to 1USD when retired in early April 2024 and superseded by Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) - see below.

In 2024 they introduced the “Zimbabwe Gold” currency which was coins actually tied to gold (Albeit a very small amount).

 

Coins were issued in 1, 2, and 5 Zimbabwe Gold (Known as ZiG), and these were steel (I am sure Aidan will correct mistakes for us). I think they were already going to release ½, 1/10 and ¼ ZiG as well, but maybe they are not coming as they were already worthless and minting them was an empty and expensive exercise. Notes from 10 to 200 ZiG were also issued and again look very cheap and plain with similar designs to all the notes Zimbabwe has put out.

 

I have heard very little about how ZiG is faring, but my guess is its been eaten up by inflation and ZiG are worth a lot less now than when it came out. Wikipedia states that ZiG went live on 8/4/24 and was at 13.56 to a US dollar, by October it was 28 to a dollar and dropping.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimbabwean_ZiG

Of course I am dying to get some ZiG for my collection eventually. I have at least one of most Zimbabwean coins (Although the $1 and $2 bond coins elude me).

 

Its currently still 27 ZiG to a dollar as of Jan 31st 2025

 

https://tradingeconomics.com/zigusd:cur

 

However ZiG block chain dollar is at 11 US cents.

 

 

There were also some gold coins called Mosi oa Tunya used as bullion, however being individually numbered gold coins weighing one ounce and costing Melt + 5% - its unlikely they will be jingling in many pockets. Just 2000 were released to Zim banks. The rest likely sitting in vaults or sold to collectors/investors.

I have some older pieces including 2 nice Halfcrowns from the Rhodesia era

 

 

 

Southern Rhodesia (Basically Modern Zimbabwe) Halfcrown issued 1932. These coins were introduced this year and showed the portrait of King George designed by Kruger Grey and used for the first time this year. It was  crowned to indicate a colonial coin (Although all KGV were crowned in any place outside the UK then). The portrait would go on for usage on the currencies of NZ (1933), Fiji, Mauritius and Seychelles (1934) and was used on the Victoria Florin of Australia (1934/35) and Canadian $1 coins of 1935/36.

 

A beautiful coin and likely used in neighbouring states such as Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and Nyasaland (Malawi), it would supersede South African coins as it was Sterling (92.5%) silver and not just the 80% silver of South Africa.

 

   

1937 was also 92.5% silver, but changes include the motto reading GVI RI rather than GV RI. Also we have the crowned colonial portrait of King George VI by Percy Metcalfe. This appeared only on coins that were British colonies and territories. Dominions got the uncrowned portrait - and Southern Rhodesia was not despite “responsible government” since 1923 and white control (Most citizens were Black African, Shona and Ndebele).

 

In 1940 they dropped to 50% silver and by 1947 was cupronickel like everywhere else.

 

 

 

1964 as Rhodesia went it alone after the union of it and Nyasaland broke up and they became Malawi and Zambia with Black leadership, whilst Rhodesia was in 1964 still a colony and tried to declare independence in 1965, but it was not recognised except by South Africa and some other rogue states. The coin is in two currencies as they were toying with decimal currency, especially as best buddy South Africa was decimal now too. But the idea did not fly and they only went decimal in 1970.