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| 2015 coin | |
| General information | |
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0.10 lilangeni = 0.10 rand |
| Years |
1968–present |
| Measurements and composition | |
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| Composition |
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| Appearance | |
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medallic |
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| v · d · e | |
The 10 cent coin is a current circulation and former commemorative piece of the Kingdom of Swaziland. It has been issued since 1968 in seven types, three under King Sobhuza II (1899–1982; r. 1921–1982) and four under Mswati III (1968–; r. 1983–). The first type was distributed by the Swazi government, while the other six were issued by the Central Bank of Swaziland and its precursor, the Monetary Authority of Swaziland. All of the pieces were struck under commission at foreign mints, the first, sixth, and seventh at the South African Mint in Pretoria, South Africa, and the rest at the Royal Mint in Llantrisant, Wales, United Kingdom.
The first piece, a non-circulating commemorative, was issued in 1968 in celebration of Swaziland's independence from the United Kingdom. It was followed in 1974 by a circulation 10 cent coin of Sobhuza II, which continued to be struck until 1979. A circulating commemorative of the denomination was also issued in 1975 for the 30th anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Four years after Sobhuza's death in 1982, Prince Makhosetive Dlamini succeeded his father as king, adopting the royal name Mswati III. A new circulation 10 cent piece bearing the new leader's likeness was introduced shortly after his coronation in 1986, and remained in production until 1992. A fifth type bearing a modified portrait of the king was then struck from 1995 to 2009, followed by a sixth from 2009 to 2011, and a seventh beginning in 2015.
All of the 10 cent pieces hold legal tender status in their country of origin, each carrying a face value of 0.10 lilangeni, which is also equivalent to 0.10 South African rand. As a collectors' piece, the 1968 coin does not circulate frequently, if at all, despite its status as legal tender. The other types remain in circulation.
On April 20, 2016, the Central Bank of Swaziland announced that it had begun recalling all pre-2015 circulation coins, including all of the earlier 10 cent pieces. They are expected to be out of circulation by September 1.
Coins[]
Coins of Sobhuza II (1968–1979)[]
Independence coin (1968)[]
Through a convention in 1894, Swaziland became a protectorate of the South African Republic, a neighboring southern African Boer state. This protectorate, however, was very short lived. With the conclusion of the Second Boer War (1899–1902), fought between the Boer states and the United Kingdom, Swaziland became a British protectorate in 1906. It remained under British control for nearly 60 years, but was finally granted independence in 1968, during the later reign of King Sobhuza II. In celebration of Swaziland's independence, that year the Swazi government issued a series of non-circulating commemoratives in denominations of 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents, 1 luhlanga, and 1 lilangeni. These were struck under commission at the South African Mint in Pretoria and designed by South African sculptor Thomas Sasseen.
The 10 cent piece is composed of .800 fine silver and measures 4.38 grams in mass and 20.4 millimeters in diameter. It has medallic alignment; raised, undecorated rims; and a reeded edge, and like most coins, is round in shape.
A ¾ left-facing bust of Sobhuza II appears in the center of the obverse. Such an illustration shows the monarch sporting his signature goatee and wearing a necklace and umhelwane, a traditional Swazi fabric covering the torso. The caption "SOBHUZA II" is printed counterclockwise along the rim below, and the legend "SWAZILAND INDEPENDENCE" is inscribed in the opposite direction above, extending from the coin's left to right peripheries. Engraved in small print to the bottom right of Sobhuza's likeness are the "T.S." initials of the designer.
An ox hide shield of the Swazi Emasotsha Regiment is illustrated vertically in the middle of the reverse, superimposing two assegais and a staff decorated with injobo tassels. Such a depiction also appears on the flag of Swaziland, but on the flag it is displayed horizontally instead of vertically. The face value "10c
–", abbreviated for "10 cents", is written at the bottom left, slanted to the lower right, while the Gregorian date of minting, "1968", is printed to the bottom right, angled to the upper right. Engraved in small print below the bottom left portion of the shield are the artist's initials, "T.S.".
Ten thousand examples of the 10 cent coin were produced, all with a proof finish. They were sold exclusively in sets with the other 1968 commemoratives, excluding the 1 lilangeni piece.
General circulation coin (1974–1979)[]
1974 coin
Upon its independence from the United Kingdom, Swaziland adopted the South African rand as its currency. However, because Swaziland and South Africa could not reach an agreement on how to share seigniorage of the rand in Swaziland, the country adopted the lilangeni in 1974. That year, the newly founded Monetary Authority of Swaziland (now the Central Bank of Swaziland) contracted the Royal Mint to strike the first series of Swazi circulation coins, consisting of pieces in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents, and 1 lilangeni. Michael Rizzello (1926–2004), a prominent Italian-British sculptor, was commissioned by the Royal Mint to design all seven coins.
The 10 cent piece, which was later struck again in 1979, is composed of cupronickel and measures 3.6 grams in mass, 22 millimeters in diameter, and 1 millimeter in thickness. It has medallic alignment; raised, undecorated rims; and a plain edge. The coin is scalloped in shape, having eight rounded notches.
Featured in the center of the obverse is a bust of Sobhuza II facing ¼ right, sporting his signature goatee and wearing an inyoni, a headdress worn by the King of Swaziland; a ligcebesha, a type of traditional beaded necklace; and an umhelwane. Printed counterclockwise along the rim below is the state title "SWAZILAND".
Displayed in the middle of the reverse are two stems of sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum), a species of grass commonly used in sugar production. Originally from southeast Asia, the plant was eventually introduced to Swaziland, and today makes up a large portion of the nation's economy. The face value "10 CENTS" is printed next to the depiction, with the numeral inscribed in a large, outlined font to the upper left, and the word "CENTS" curved counterclockwise along the coin's bottom left periphery. Engraved in the same direction as the word "CENTS" at the piece's lower right rim is the Gregorian date of minting in Western Arabic numerals.
Over two years of production, 1,275,000 examples of the coin were produced, including 1,252,000 pieces with a normal finish and 23,000 proofs. Of these, an unknown number of uncirculated normal pieces; all 13,000 of the 1974 proofs; and 3,231 of the 1979 proofs were sold in sets by the Central Bank of Swaziland.
| Mintages | |
|---|---|
| Year | Mintage |
| 1974 | 752,000 |
| 1974 Proof | 13,000 |
| 1979 | 500,000 |
| 1979 Proof | 10,000 |
| Total | 1,275,000 |
Food and Agriculture Organization coin (1975)[]
1975 FAO commemorative coin
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), an agency of the United Nations dedicated to fighting world hunger, was formed on October 16, 1945, in Quebec City, Canada. Since its inception the FAO has provided assistance to various countries around the world, including Swaziland. In observance of the organization's 30th anniversary in 1975, that year the Monetary Authority of Swaziland issued circulating FAO themed 1, 2, and 10 cent commemorative coins. All three were struck at the Royal Mint and carry designs by Italian-British artist Michael Rizzello.
The 10 cent piece has the same composition and measurements as the general circulation coin introduced in 1974, being made of a cupronickel alloy and measuring 3.6 grams in mass, 22 millimeters in diameter, and 1 millimeter in thickness. It has medallic alignment; raised, undecorated rims; and a plain edge. It is scalloped in shape, having 12 rounded notches.
The coin's obverse bears the same design as that of Swaziland's first circulating 10 cent piece, featuring in its center a bust of Sobhuza II facing ¼ right and wearing a goatee, inyoni, ligcebesha, and umhelwane. Printed counterclockwise along the rim below is the state title "SWAZILAND".
The reverse is also similar in design to that of the general circulation coin. Two sugar cane stems appear in the middle, with the face value "10 CENTS" printed to the left and the Gregorian date of minting, "1975", curved counterclockwise along the coin's bottom right periphery. Inscribed above in small print, extending clockwise along the upper rim, is "FOOD FOR ALL", a motto often used by the FAO. To accommodate for this additional inscription, the sugar canes and the numeral "10" are more compressed than on the general circulation piece.
A total of 1,500,000 examples of the coin were produced, all with a normal finish.
Coins of Mswati III (1986–present)[]
First portrait coin (1986–1992)[]
1992 coin
Before his death in 1982, Sobhuza designated Prince Makhosetive Dlamini, one of his sons, as his successor. However, being only 15 years old at the time of his father's death, Makhosetive was considered too young to rule, and Queen Dzeliwe (1927–2003), one of Sobhuza's wives, was selected to fulfill the monarchical duties as regent until Makhosetive came of age. After an internal dispute though, Queen Ntfombi (1950–), Makhosetive's mother, replaced Dzeliwe as regent in 1983. She held this position until 1986, when her son was crowned King of Swaziland and adopted the royal name Mswati III.
During the regencies of Dzeliwe and Ntfombi, no Swazi circulation coins were produced, excluding the 1 cent piece, which was minted into 1983. However, shortly after Mswati came to power in 1986, a new series of coins was introduced. With the exception of a 2 cent piece, the series consisted of the same denominations as the previous series: 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents, and 1 lilangeni. The Royal Mint was commissioned by the Bank of Swaziland to strike all of the pieces. In the popular Standard Catalog of World Coins, these are misattributed to Queen Dzeliwe.
The 10 cent piece of the series, minted in 1986 and 1992, is composed of a cupronickel alloy and measures 3.6 grams in mass, 22 millimeters in diameter, and 1 millimeter in thickness. It has medallic alignment; raised, undecorated rims; and a plain edge, and is scalloped in shape, having 12 rounded notches.
Featured in the center of the obverse is a facing illustration of a young Mswati III wearing an inyoni and ligcebesha. The state title "SWAZILAND" is printed below, traveling along the coin's lower periphery in a counterclockwise direction.
The reverse retains Michael Rizzello's original design from the 10 cent coins of Sobhuza. Two sugar cane stems appear in the center, with the face value "10 CENTS" printed to the left and the Gregorian date of minting inscribed counterclockwise along the coin's lower right boundary.
The total mintage of the coin is currently unknown. Only business strikes and uncirculated pieces in mint sets are reported to exist.
Second portrait coins (1995–present)[]
Scalloped coin (1995–2009)[]
2003 coin
From 1995 to 1996, the Central Bank of Swaziland introduced a new series of coins in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents, and 1, 2, and 5 emalangeni. As with all previous series of Swazi circulation coins, they were commissioned to be struck at the Royal Mint in the United Kingdom.
The 10 cent piece of the series was struck almost annually from 1995 to 2009. It is composed of a cupronickel alloy and measures 3.6 grams in mass, 22 millimeters in diameter, and 1 millimeter in thickness. It has medallic alignment; raised, undecorated rims; and a plain edge, and is scalloped in shape, having 12 rounded notches.
The obverse features an updated bust of Mswati III in its center. In the illustration, the king is shown facing ¾ right, sporting a light goatee, and wearing an inyoni, ligcebesha, and umhelwane. Written in a clockwise direction along the rim above is the state title "SWAZILAND", which is interrupted between the "I" and "L" by the inyoni.
The reverse, like on earlier 10 cent pieces, features two sugar cane stems in the center, with the face value "10 CENTS" printed to the left and the Gregorian date of minting written counterclockwise in Western Arabic numerals at the lower right rim.
The total mintage of the piece is currently unknown. During 11 years of production, only business strikes were made.
| Years |
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Copper-plated coin (2009–2011)[]
2011 coin
A new series of circulation pieces in denominations of 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents, and 1 lilangeni was introduced from 2009 to 2011 by the Central Bank of Swaziland. In an effort to reduce the costs of production, the new coins were struck in cheaper metals with round planchets. They were manufactured under contract at the South African Mint.
The 10 cent piece, issued in 2009 and 2011, is composed of copper-plated steel and measures approximately 3.4 grams in mass, 21 millimeters in diameter, and 1 millimeter in thickness. It has medallic alignment and a plain edge. The rims are raised and undecorated, and form a scalloped outline with an elevation at the top and bottom of the piece.
The same bust of Mswati III appearing on the 10 cent pieces of 1995 to 2009, which features the king facing ¾ right and wearing a goatee, inyoni, ligcebesha, and umhelwane, is displayed in the center of the copper-plated piece. Printed in a clockwise direction along the rim above is the state title "SWAZILAND", which, as on the previous coin, is interrupted between the "I" and "L" by Mswati's inyoni.
The reverse follows the designs of the previous 10 cent circulation coins. Two sugar cane stems are shown in the center, with the face value "10 CENTS" inscribed to the left and the Gregorian date of minting printed counterclockwise in Western Arabic numerals along the coin's lower right periphery.
The total mintage of the copper-plated circulation coin is currently unknown. Only business strikes are known to have been minted during both years of production.
Nickel-plated coin (2015–present)[]
2015 coin
During late 2015, the Central Bank of Swaziland issued its most recent series of coins, which consists of denominations of 10, 20, and 50 cents, and 1, 2, and 5 emalangeni. They are intended to replace earlier Swazi coins, which are expected to be out of circulation by September 1, 2016, due to unspecified security purposes. Like the 2009–2011 series, the new series was produced under contract at the South African Mint.
The 10 cent piece is composed of nickel-plated steel and measures 3.5 grams in mass, 18 millimeters in diameter, and 2 millimeters in thickness. It has medallic alignment and a plain edge, and like the coin of the previous series, is round in shape. The rims are raised and undecorated, and form a scalloped outline. However, unlike the 10 cent coins minted in 2009 and 2011, there is a depression in the scalloping at the top and bottom of the piece instead of an elevation.
The obverse features the same bust of Mswati III used on all Swazi circulation coins since 1995, which shows the king facing ¾ right and wearing a goatee, inyoni, ligcebesha, and umhelwane. Inscribed clockwise along the rim above is the state title "SWAZILAND", which is interrupted between the "I" and "L" by the king's inyoni.
The reverse shows two sugar cane stems in its center, with the face value "10 CENTS" printed to the left and the Gregorian date of minting, "2015", engraved counterclockwise along the coin's lower right rim.
The total mintage of the nickel-plated coin is currently unknown. Only business strikes are reported to have been produced.
References[]
- Numismatic Guaranty Corporation – Swaziland - 10 Cents, KM# 2 (1968) • Swaziland - 10 Cents, KM# 10 (1974–1979) • Swaziland - 10 Cents, KM# 23 (1975) • Swaziland - 10 Cents, KM# 41 (1986–1992) • Swaziland - 10 Cents, KM# 49 (1995–2009)
- Colnect – 10 Cents (Independence) (1968) • 10 Cents (1974–1979) • 10 Cents (F.A.O.) (1975) • 10 Cents (1986–1992) • 10 Cents (1995–2009) • 10 Cents (2009–2011) • 10 Cents (2015)
- Numista – 10 Cents - Sobhuza II (Independence) (1968) • 10 Cents - Sobhuza II (1974–1979) • 10 Cents - Sobhuza II (FAO) (1975) • 10 Cents - Mswati III (1986–1992) • 10 Cents - Mswati III (1995–2009) • 10 Cents - Mswati III (2009–2011) • 10 Cents - Mswati III (2015) (English) (French)
- StarAfrica – Swazi Central Bank recalls pre-2015 coins
- Umntsholi (December 2011)
Swazi lilangeni on the English Wikipedia
| Swazi lilangeni | |
|---|---|
| Banknotes | L1 • E2 • E5 • E10 • E20 • E50 • E100 • E200 |
| Coins | 1c • 2c • 5c • 10c • 20c • 50c • LH1 • L1 • E2 • E5 • E7½ • E10 • E15 • E20 • E25 • E50 • E100 • E250 |
| Miscellaneous | Cent • Central Bank of Swaziland • Lilangeni • Luhlanga • Multilateral Monetary Area • Swazi leaders on currency |