This is a new commemorative note of 50 pula reportedly issued on 19.09.2025 to celebrate the country's 50th year of the Bank of Botswana (Golden Jubilee - 1975 to 2025). The central bank was established on 01.07.1975 with its head office located in the capital city of Gaborone.
Botswana became independent from the British on 30.09.1966. Following independence, the country continues to be part of the Rand Monetary Area (RMA) currency system. The RMA is a monetary union of Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland (now eSwatini) and was established to promote economic development between its member states. The South African Rand was the main currency but other member states also issued their own currencies and were exchangeable at par.
In 1974, Botswana withdrew from the RMA system and established it's own central bank in 1975 with the new currency of Pula introduced in 1976. The word 'pula' literally means 'rain' in Setswana, a Bantu language indigenous to Southern Africa and spoken by more than 8 million people. The Bank's first governor appointed was Christopher H.L. Hermans (tenure 1975-1978). It should also be noted that he was reappointed as the bank governor from 1987 to 1997. In 1977, the central bank became a government fully owned institution.
Whilst this banknote celebrates the 50th anniversary of the central bank, the theme on the back honors the achievement of it's athletics performance in the 2024 Paris Olympic games. Botswana has now joined the very few countries that have issued banknotes honoring the Olympic games or participants that won medals in an Olympic game. Other countries that have issued banknotes that are also related to this game are China, Hong Kong Bank of China, Fiji, Macau Bank of China, South Korea and Russia.
This is the first time that the Bank of Botswana has issued a commemorative banknote since the country gained independence in 1966. Hopefully, as a collector, we would like to see more commemorative notes in the near future.
Fifty Pula
Front - On the front, the main design is the image of the Central Bank of Botswana's building. In the bottom center is the commemorative logo for the Golden Jubilee and in the top right corner is the country's Coat of Arms.
Next to the 50 denomination value in the left corner is an image of a 2488 carats diamond called Motswedi, the second largest diamond ever found. This diamond was unearthed at Botswana's Karowe Diamond mine in August 2024 and is reportedly worth around US$100 million dollars. Next to this diamond, the following text is printed: -
Date - 2025 (1975-2025)
Watermark - A rearing zebra and electrotype 50
Sizes - 144mm x 71mm
Back - On the bank, the note honouring Botswana athletics that won medals in the 2024 Paris Olympics games. The main character is the Men's 200 meters gold medal winner, Letsile Tebogo, showing him holding up his winning gold medal. In addition to his gold medal, he also won a Men's 4 x 400 meters Relay Silver medal, together with Anthony Pesela, Busang Collen Kebinatshipi and Bayapo S. Ndori, as shown on the note after the medal presentation ceremony. Needless to say that the image of Letsile Tebogo appears twice on the same note. How lucky is that? Even the President of the country does not have such honour. Behind these athletics is a billowing Botswana's national flag. You can also see the large numeral '50' printed on the note too.
The Paris 2024 Olympic was not the first time that Botswana won any medals. In 2012, it won a silver medal in London and in 2020 (2021) a bronze medal in Tokyo. However, Paris 2024 was the first and only time that Botswana has ever won a gold medal in any sporting events in the Olympic games. In the background is printed with the large numerals of 50 in gold colour and the image of the national flag of Botswana.
Note* - The world largest diamond ever found was Cullinan Diamond, weighing 3,106.75 carats discovered in South Africa in 1905. Unfortunately since then, this diamond was then cut into smaller diamonds, including the Cullinan I weighing 530.2 carats, which is also the world largest colourless cut diamond. Guess who owns this stone now?
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