Gambian dalasi
Worldwide use:
- The Gambia
Description:
The official currency of Gambia is the Gambian Dalasi. One Gambian Dalasi is worth 100 Gambian Bututs. Coins come in 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 Bututs as well as 1 Dalasi. Banknotes are issued in 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 Dalasis. 1, 5 and 10 Butut coins are hard to come by due to their low value.
A 10 Dalasi commemorative coin was produced to celebrate the 10th year of Gambia’s independence in 1975. The one Dalasi coin looks like a 50 pence coin. Gambia may adopt Eco currency, a common currency for the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ), in the future.
Origin:
Originally, Cowrie Shells were the currency of exchange in Gambia but in 1880 silver coins began to circulate. In 1892, the African Banking Corporation was opened and Gambia started to use the British West African Pound. That was then replaced with the Gambian Pound in 1907, and in 1971 the Gambian Dalasi was established as the country’s sole currency at a rate of one Pound to 5 Dalasis.
Component units:
- Butut (100)
Date introduced:
- 1971
Central bank:
- Central Bank of the Gambia
Printer:
Mint:
- Royal Mint