Catalog
1 Pound - World War II Emergency Issue
| Issuer | Government of Fiji |
|---|---|
| Year | 1942 |
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| Shape | Rectangular |
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| Obverse description | Printed in brown on white paper, the obverse carries a dual-authority wartime layout in which a kiwi bird vignette above the serial number occupies the left field alongside the New Zealand coat of arms at centre, flanked by bold letterpress "ONE POUND" and "£1" denominations. A guilloche-framed medallion to the right contains a portrait of a Māori chief in traditional dress. The "GOVERNMENT OF FIJI" overprint spans the upper register, with the Reserve Bank of New Zealand promise-to-pay clause, legal tender text, and a manuscript Governor's signature occupying the lower margin. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse is printed in brown, centred on an oval guilloche frame enclosing a scenic mountain and lake vignette representing a New Zealand landscape, surmounted by an arching "THE RESERVE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND" cartouche. The bold "GOVERNMENT OF FIJI" overprint crosses the upper field, with "£1 ONE POUND £1" in the mid-section and "THIS NOTE IS LEGAL TENDER IN FIJI ONLY" in the lower register, "ONE POUND" repeated at the base. Guilloche rosettes bearing "£1" occupy each of the four corners. |
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| Comments |
The 1942 Fiji £1 was rushed into circulation as part of a broader Allied currency stabilization effort in the Pacific following Japan's rapid advances through the region. Fiji itself was a critical staging point for Allied forces — American troops were present on the islands by early 1942 — and maintaining a functioning local currency was considered operationally important.
De La Rue printed this series under wartime conditions in London, when the firm was simultaneously fulfilling emergency currency contracts for multiple colonial governments whose normal supply chains had been disrupted. The "Emergency Issue" designation reflects genuine administrative urgency, not a printing variation.