Catalog
10 Emalangeni - Sobhuza II
| Issuer | Central Bank of Swaziland |
|---|---|
| Year | 1975 |
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| Value | 10 Emalangeni (10 SZL) |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A finely detailed standing heron, facing right with its long beak raised upward, occupies the central field against a mirror-polished proof background. The bird stands on a small rocky perch, its plumage rendered with meticulous feather detail. The numeral 10 appears in the lower left field, and the denomination legend EMALANGENI is inscribed along the lower right periphery in a curved arrangement. The rim is plain and smooth. |
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| Mint | Franklin Mint |
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| Additional information |
Issued the year Swaziland formally adopted its own currency system with the lilangeni replacing the rand at par, this piece honors Sobhuza II at a moment when he had already ruled longer than virtually any other monarch alive. By 1975 he had been king since 1921 — over five decades — and would go on to reign until his death in 1982, making his total reign of approximately 61 years one of the longest documented in modern history.
The .925 silver content places this firmly in the commemorative rather than circulating category. KM#25 is not a scarce issue by mintage standards, but surviving examples in original proof-like condition are frequently found with hairlines from improper early storage.