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5 Pounds
| Issuer | Bank of Western Samoa |
|---|---|
| Year | 1961 |
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| Reference(s) | P#12 |
| Obverse description | Purple and lilac note with an elaborate guilloche border framing the central vignette of two fishermen paddling a traditional outrigger canoe. The denomination numeral '5' appears in each corner within ornate cartouches, and the issuing authority title 'TERRITORY OF WESTERN SAMOA' is set in bold lettering across the top. Two manuscript signatures appear below the central vignette, attributed to the Minister of Finance and the Financial Secretary respectively, with the date 'WELLINGTON, 1st May 1961' printed between the serial numbers. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | TERRITORY OF WESTERN SAMOA LEGAL TENDER IN WESTERN SAMOA BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT FIVE POUNDS BANK OF WESTERN SAMOA Legal tender in Western Samoa by virtue of the Bank of Western Samoa Ordinance 1959 TREASURY NOTE |
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| Comments |
Western Samoa achieved independence in January 1962, making this 1961 note part of the transitional currency issued in the final months of UN trusteeship under New Zealand administration. The Bank of Western Samoa itself was established specifically to manage the new nation's monetary affairs ahead of independence — this series was effectively printed in anticipation of statehood rather than as a routine issue.
Bradbury Wilkinson's involvement was typical for newly independent Commonwealth territories at the time; the firm handled similar commissions across the Pacific and Caribbean during the decolonization wave of the early 1960s. The series was replaced relatively quickly once the tālā was introduced in 1967, limiting the window of circulation to under six years.