HASTINGS BANDA MALAWI BANKNOTES
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Like many African " Big Men" in the post independence era Hastings Banda loved to have his photo taken.The production of seventy four Malawi banknotes during his thirty year presidency bearing his portrait is record, except for the one hundred and eight with the portrait of President Mobutu from Zaire during a similar thirty year reign!
Established in 1891, the British Protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964.Hastings Kamuzu Banda was born in 1898 in Kasungu Malawi, and died November 25th 1997.He obtained medical degrees in the U.S.A. (1927),University of Edinburgh (1941),and practiced medicine in London 1945-53 and Ghana 1957-8.
Returning home in 1958 he led a campaign against the white dominated Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. He was arrested in 1959and freed in 1960.Assuming leadership of the government Banda made Malawi a Republic in 1966 and declared himself President for Life in 1971.Ruling with a iron hand through the 1980's and early 90's he finally lost power in May 1994.
MALAWI BANDA BANKNOTE DENOMINATION INTRODUCTION DATES
1964 5/- 10/- 1 pound 5 pounds
1971 50 Tambala 1 Kwacha,2 Kwacha,10 Kwacha
1973 5 Kwacha (no date),1983 20 Kwacha,1990 50 Kwacha,1994 100 Kwacha.
By 2006 there were also 200 and 500 Kwacha notes
Increases in the denomination values are common in Africa, as parities with the dollar ,sterling or the French Franc were not maintained and hyperinflation set in.
MALAWI KWACHA EXCHANGE RATE TO THE DOLLAR
1964 2 Kwacha =1 Pound sterling =$1.40
1971 1 Kwacha=$.714
2000 44 Kwacha=$1
2005 108 Kwacha=$1
2006 141 Kwacha =$1(June 2006)
The Kwacha has been the currency since 1971.Kwacha derives from the Zambian Bembe word for" dawn",Tambala(100 Tambala equals one Kwacha) means "cockerel" in Nyanja.
The portraits on post independent African banknotes reflect the turbulent history of African countries, many rulers not surviving for any length of time. Banda is an exception in that his rule extended for thirty years. Malawi banknotes provide both DATE and SIGNATURE collecting opportunities .
Malawi is listed by DATE in the catalog "World Paper Money" published by Krause. An example of such a date series is PICK 12a,12b ,12c,TEN KWACHA, which have different dates but all have the same signature. Pick 21a and 21b TEN KWACHA have different dates but also different signatures ,adding value in many collectors eyes.
LIST OF MALAWI GOVERNORS
1968 A.G.PERRIN SIGNATURE 1 1988-92 HANS JOACHIM LESSHAFFT SIG6
1968-1971 D.E.THOMSON SIG2 1992-95 F.Z.PELEKAMOYO SIG7
1971-84 J.Z.U.TEMBO SIG3 1995-2000 DR.M.A.P.CHIKAONDA SIG8
1984-6 L.C.CHAZIYA SIG4 2000-2005 DR.E.E.NGALANDE SIG9
1986-88 S.C.HARA SIG5 CURRENT V.MBEWE SIG10