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20 Cents - Mswati III 2nd portrait
| Issuer | Kingdom of Swaziland (1968-2018) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1996-2005 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Scalloped (with 12 notches) |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A finely detailed head of an African elephant, trunk raised and tusks prominent, is depicted in three-quarter view occupying the central field. The denomination numeral 20 appears at the top of the field, with the zero stylistically incorporating a small elephant motif within it. The legend CENTS is inscribed along the lower periphery, and the date is positioned along the right inner margin of the scalloped border. |
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| Reverse lettering | 20 CENTS 2005 |
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| Additional information |
Swaziland's coinage underwent a portrait update for Mswati III in the mid-1990s, the second such revision since he ascended the throne in 1986 at age eighteen — making him one of the youngest reigning monarchs in the world at the time. The kingdom's coin designs have historically been updated in loose alignment with significant royal anniversaries, though the exact trigger for the second portrait transition is not well-documented in standard numismatic literature.
KM#50 ran across nearly a decade of issues, spanning a period when Swaziland faced sustained international pressure over its ban on political parties, a prohibition that had been in place since 1973 under Mswati's father, Sobhuza II.