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1 Syli
| Issuer | Banque Centrale de la République de Guinée |
|---|---|
| Year | 1981 |
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| Value | 1 Syli |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Olive on green guilloche underprint. Portrait vignette of Mafori Bangoura at right, rendered in intaglio against fine wavy-line underprint. The denomination "UN SYLI" is printed in large bold lettering at centre-left, with the date "le 1er MARS 1960" below; a guilloche rosette enclosing the numeral "1" appears at lower left, flanked by ornate lace-pattern borders. Two facsimile signatures appear below the date, captioned "MINISTRE DES FINANCES" and "GOUVERNEUR BANQUE CENTRALE", with the year "1981" in an oval cartouche at the bottom. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Olive and yellow-green on white. The design is entirely geometric, composed of fine guilloche lacework. A large central rectangular panel, framed by concentric ornamental borders, carries the denomination "UN SYLI" in bold serif lettering over a rosette underprint. Flanking the central panel on each side is a diamond-shaped guilloche medallion enclosing the numeral "1", set against elaborate scalloped surround patterns. |
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| Comments |
The syli replaced the Guinean franc in 1971 as part of Sékou Touré's broader effort to break from the CFA franc zone and French monetary influence — Guinea had been excluded from French colonial development funds since its 1958 independence vote, and the currency system was one of several domains where the government pursued aggressive self-determination. The syli itself was subdivided into 100 cauris, a deliberate nod to the cowrie shells historically used as currency across West Africa.
The 1 syli was the smallest denomination in this 1981 series. A print run exceeding twelve million is substantial for a note this size, suggesting it saw genuine everyday use rather than being a token low-denomination issue.