Catalog
2 Shillings
| Issuer | Government of Fiji |
|---|---|
| Year | 1942 |
| Type | Emergency banknote |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The reverse consists entirely of a repetitive typeset underprint of the text COLONY OF FIJI printed in red across the full surface of the pinkish paper in closely spaced horizontal rows, serving as both a security device and background pattern with no other design elements present. |
| Reverse lettering | COLONY OF FIJI |
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| Comments |
Fiji's wartime fractional currency was authorized under emergency powers after Japanese advances in the Pacific made normal banking operations precarious and coin shortages acute. The 2 Shillings note is part of a small series of low-denomination government issues that replaced coinage temporarily — a stopgap measure that few expected to last as long as it did.
The pinkish paper with overprinted lettering was a deliberate security choice given the limited printing resources available in the colony at the time. These notes circulated hard and survivors in decent condition are genuinely uncommon.