5 Pa'anga 'Reine Salote'

This note was introduced under the authority of the Government of Tonga rather than a central bank — Tonga had no formal central bank until the establishment of the National Reserve Bank in 1989, so the Treasury issued currency directly throughout this period. The "Reine Salote" designation refers to Queen Salote Tupou III, who died in December 1965, meaning her portrait appeared on notes printed and circulated entirely after her death, a deliberate act of commemoration by her son Taufa'ahau Tupou IV.

De La Rue's involvement here is unsurprising given Tonga's British-protected status, which persisted until full independence in 1970 — notes from this series therefore straddle the transition from protectorate to sovereign kingdom mid-run.