Catalog
5 pounds
| Issuer | Government of Fiji |
|---|---|
| Year | 1914-1928 |
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| Composition | Paper |
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| Obverse description | The obverse is framed by an intricate guilloche border of repeating circular rosette motifs in purple-violet ink. At the upper centre, the Fijian coat of arms is flanked by two standing figures, above the issuer inscription "The Government of FIJI" and the bearer clause "Promises to pay to Bearer on Demand the Sum of". The denomination "FIVE POUNDS" appears in bold letterpress within a central panel, with £5 numerals at left and right; the date line and three manuscript signatures of issuing officials appear in the lower right area. |
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| Reverse description | No image of the reverse is available; a full description cannot be provided. |
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| Comments |
The Government of Fiji's direct note issuance during this period predates the establishment of the Currency Board — Fiji did not get a formal currency authority until 1914, when the Colonial Treasurer's office took over from a patchwork of private bank issues. These five-pound notes circulated in a colony where sugar and copra dominated commerce, and the denominations above one pound were primarily instruments of merchant and government transaction rather than everyday trade.
Four date variants across fourteen years, each distinguished by its trio of signatories — Colonial Secretary, Colonial Treasurer, and the recurring Marks — reflects how tightly the colonial administration controlled issue authorization. The April 1914 Specimen predates the earliest circulating date by eight months, suggesting plates were ready before the formal issuance regime began.