Catalog
5 Pounds
| Issuer | Bank of Biafra |
|---|---|
| Year | 1968-1969 |
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| Shape | Rectangular |
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| Obverse description | Central vignette of a palm tree set against a stylised sunset, enclosed within ornate circular guilloche borders incorporating the issuing authority's legends. Denomination numerals appear at the corners within decorative roundels, and the note bears the title inscriptions of the Bank of Biafra along with the Governor and Director signature titles. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The Biafran coat of arms is positioned at the left within a circular guilloche surround, alongside a central intaglio vignette of a female weaver at her loom. The large numeral and pound sign £5 dominate the right portion of the note, with decorative floral and foliate guilloche borders framing the entire design in purple and teal. |
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| Comments |
The Bank of Biafra issued this note during the secession war against Nigeria, when the breakaway republic was already losing ground. By 1969 the Biafran economy was collapsing under blockade, and the currency was inflating rapidly — the government printed money to fund a military it could no longer supply. Pick 6 is the highest denomination of the series, which tells you something about how badly purchasing power had eroded by the time these circulated.
The "Printed: 30.04.1945" field in this catalog entry is almost certainly a data error. Biafra did not exist as a political entity until 1967.