Biafran pound

Biafran pound
[[File:|140px|252px]] £1 banknote 1968
Central bank	Bank of Biafra
User(s)	Biafra
Subunit
1/20	shilling
1/240	penny
Symbol	£
shilling	s
penny	d
Plural
penny	pence
Coins	3d, 6d, 1/-, 2/6
Banknotes	5/-, 10/-, £1, £5, £10

Biafran 2½ shilling coin from 1969 of aluminium, reverse.

Biafran 2½ shilling coin from 1969 of aluminium, obverse.

The Biafran pound was the currency of the breakaway Republic of Biafra between 1968 and 1970.

The first notes denominated in 5 shillings and £1 were introduced on January 29, 1968. A series of coins was issued in 1969; 3 pence, 6 pence, 1 shilling and 2½ shilling coins were minted, all made of aluminium. In February 1969, a second family of notes was issued consisting of 5 shilling, 10 shilling, £1, £5 and £10 denominations. Despite not being recognised as currency by the rest of the world when they were issued, the banknotes were afterwards sold as curios (typically at 2/6 (=.0125 GBP) for 1 pound notes in London philately/notaphily shops) and are now traded among banknote collectors at well above their original nominal value.

The most common note is the 1968 1 Pound, with the 10 Pound and all coins being rare.

Banknotes of the Biafran pound (1968 "First" issue)
Image	Value	Obverse	Reverse
[1]	5/-	Palm tree over a rising sun	Four Biafran girls
[2]	£1	Palm tree over a rising sun	Coat of arms of Biafra

Banknotes of the Biafran pound (1969 "Second" issue)
Image	Value	Obverse	Reverse
[3]	5/-	Palm tree over a rising sun	Four Biafran girls
[4]	10/-	Palm tree over a rising sun	Oil refinery
[5]	£1	Palm tree over a rising sun	Coat of arms of Biafra
[6]	£5	Palm tree over a rising sun	A female weaver
[7]	£10	Palm tree over a rising sun	A male carver

See also

• Nigerian pound
• Nigerian naira
• Postage stamps and postal history of Biafra

External links

• Banknotes of Biafra. Archived June 29, 2011 at the Wayback Machine
• Coins with Nigerian naira
• Information from Biafraland.
• A detailed article on the banknotes of the Biafran pound pjsymes.com.au