Catalog
5 Shillings
| Issuer | Government of Fiji |
|---|---|
| Year | 1934-1935 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | The obverse is printed in blue and brown, centred on the Fijian coat of arms supported by two indigenous Fijian figures, with a scroll beneath bearing the motto in Fijian. A fine intaglio portrait of King George V in military uniform is set within an oval vignette at the right. The denomination '5/-' appears in each upper corner, with guilloche underprint filling the field, and a blank oval at the left reserved for the watermark area. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse is executed entirely in multicolour guilloche work, combining blue, green, orange, brown and purple lathe patterns arranged symmetrically around a central oval cartouche. The inscription 'GOVERNMENT OF FIJI' is set within the central cartouche on a fine wavy-line guilloche ground, while a blank circular reserve at the right corresponds to the watermark position. The overall design, devoid of any pictorial vignette, relies solely on the intricate engine-turned lathe work for its security and aesthetic effect. |
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| Comments |
Fiji's pre-decimal Government currency issues of the 1930s required three countersignatures per note — a Colonial Financial Secretary, a Colonial Secretary, and the Governor — an unusually cumbersome authorization structure that reflected London's tight grip on Pacific territorial finances during the Depression. The three distinct signature combinations on P#31 correspond to successive changes in those colonial officeholders across just fourteen months of issue.
Bradbury Wilkinson held the contract for Fiji government notes throughout this period. The 1934 date variants are meaningfully scarcer than the March 1935 issue, with the January 1934 Seymour/Chamberlain/Boyd combination the rarest of the three.