Catalog
5 Shillings
| Issuer | Central Bank of Nigeria |
|---|---|
| Year | 1958 |
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| Printer | Waterlow & Sons Limited, United Kingdom (1810-1961) |
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| Reverse description | The reverse is printed in a single purple-violet tone and centres on a detailed intaglio vignette of a cluster of tall coconut palms and tropical trees beside a calm body of water, with a low hillside in the distance. The bank title CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA is inscribed at the upper left, with denomination numerals 5/- at each corner and the legend FIVE SHILLINGS in a solid panel at the foot of the design. The border consists of a repeating wave-pattern guilloche frame running along all four sides. |
| Reverse lettering | CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA 5/- 5/- 5/- 5/- FIVE SHILLINGS |
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| Comments |
Nigeria's first banknote series was issued in anticipation of independence, which came in October 1960. The West African Currency Board had previously handled currency for the region, and displacing it required the establishment of a fully sovereign central bank — the CBN was founded in 1958, the same year this note was printed. Waterlow & Sons handled the contract, as they did for much of Britain's departing colonial infrastructure across Africa.
Waterlow was absorbed into De La Rue in 1961, making this among the final years of their independent output.