Catalog
4 Shillings - George VI
| Issuer | Bahamas Government |
|---|---|
| Year | 1936 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | FOUR SHILLINGS THE BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT DIEU ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE 4/- (Translation: God and my right. Shamed be whoever thinks ill of it.) |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Log in to see details |
| Protection description | Bust of Christopher Columbus. |
| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
The 1936 Bahamas 4 Shilling denomination is an oddity born of local pricing convention. The unusual face value — four shillings rather than the more administratively tidy five — reflected the practical currency arithmetic of a colonial economy where certain goods and services were habitually priced in multiples that a five-shilling note would not cover cleanly. It was not unique to the Bahamas, but it was never a common denomination in British colonial issue.
George VI accession notes dated 1936 are technically transitional — the king did not ascend until December of that year, following Edward VIII's abdication, meaning any 1936-dated George VI colonial issues reflect administrative anticipation rather than actual circulation in that calendar year.