Here are the four banknotes of Uganda first series all issued reportedly on 15.08.1966.
Prior to 1966, Uganda shared the same currency together with Kenya and Tanganyika (now Tanzania). The currency was then issued by the East African Currency Board (dissolved in 1967) and was known as East African Shilling. In 1966, Uganda established it's central bank and called it the Bank of Uganda and released a full set of Uganda shilling currency.
A brief history of Uganda. This is the first series of banknotes issued in Uganda post independence. Uganda achieved independence on 09.10.1962 with Apollo Milton Obote (b.1925-2005) as the country's Prime Minister, then President. On 25.01.1971, army General Awon'go Idi Amin Dada Oumee (a.k.a. Idi Amin b.1928-2003) overthrew Apollo Milton Obote while he was out of the country and installed himself as President and then President for life in 1976. This set of (nd)1966 banknotes were then replaced by the (nd)1973 series all depicting the portrait of Idi Amin. On 11.04.1979, Idi Amin was deposed and the a new set of banknotes released without his portrait.
A set for this series comprises five notes. As you can see, I only have four notes posted there. The missing note is the 100 shillings 'error' note also issued on 15.08.1966. All notes issued are printed with the legend text - 'For Bank of Uganda' just below the denomination value. However, the first 100 shillings issued in 1966 did not have this text and as such reprints were issued, and unfortunately I have no information when the second prints were issued. It is unlikely that the reprints were also released in 1966, and my guest would be 1967 or even later.
Note * - Joseph Mary Mubiru's contract as the bank governor ended in September 1971, about 8 months after Idi Amin seized power in Uganda. It is believed that he was later abducted and murdered by people who were loyal to Idi Amin in 1972. He was accused of financial misconduct by his murderers. However, John Robert Ochole Elangot survived Idi Amin's brutal regime. Elangot was the Secretary of the bank from 1966, and became the deputy bank governor between 1981 to 1989. He died in Kampala, Uganda in 2021 at the good old age of 87.
Five Shillings / Shilingi Tano
Front - Uganda's Coat of Arms in the left.
Series - nd1966 (15.08.1966)
Watermark - An open left hand palm in upright position
Sizes - 147mm x 79mm
Back - Image of Victoria Nile with Murchison falls. The Nile River runs for about 500 kilometers through Uganda. Within the country, this upper section of the Nile is commonly referred to as the Victoria Nile. The river begins its journey in Uganda at Lake Victoria in Jinja (the source of the Nile) and flows northward through Lake Kyoga before plunging over the spectacular Murchison Falls. It then empties into Lake Albert and continues as the Albert Nile toward the South Sudan border.
Ten Shillings / Shilingi Kumi
Front - Unlike the 5 shillings note, the Uganda's Coat of Arms is now printed in the center.
Series - (nd)1966 (15.08.1966)
Watermark - An open left hand palm in upright position
Sizes - 147mm x 79.5mm
Back - Three farmers harvesting cotton in the open field. The cotton farming supports approximately 250,000 smallholder farmers and up to 90% is exported raw as lint. Cotton is grown in the Northern and Eastern regions of Uganda.
Twenty Shillings / Shilingi Ishirini
Front - This time, Uganda's Coat of Arms is now printed on the left-hand side instead.
Series - (nd)1966 (15.08.1966)
Watermark - An open left hand palm in upright position
Sizes - 145.5mm x 80mm
Back - Wild life with a monkey, a resting lioness with cub, a standing stork, elephants, zebras and impala. Uganda is one of the most bio diverse countries in Africa, also known as the 'Pearl of Africa'. It uniquely combines classic East African savanna safaris with dense equatorial rain forest and vast wetlands, making it a sanctuary for an incredible array of wildlife as shown on this note.
One Hundred Shillings
Missing the first print for the one that did not have the words, For Bank of Uganda, printed below the denomination value. You must be wondering how they have missed this? Should the person(s) who proofread this be held responsible?
One Hundred Shillings / Shilingi Mia Moja
Front - A Crowned Crane standing is a swampland. The Crowned crane is also referred to as Crested Crane. This is a majestic national bird of Uganda, featured on the country's flag and coat of arms. The Coat of Arms is now printed in the bottom central left in a much smaller size than those printed on the three notes above. In the background is an open farmland, and coffee plants.
Series - (nd)1966
Watermark - An open left hand palm in upright position
Sizes - 147mm x 80mm
Back - The front of the Parliament house with the Tower that separates the east from the north wing building. This tower together with the parliament was built by the British as a gift to the Ugandans in the late 1950s. It is strange to say that the building was a gift from the occupier, and you must be wondering where the funds came from for the construction?
No comments:
Post a Comment