XXᵉ siècle
British West Africa
Traduction non disponible · Original (anglais) · français indisponible
The West African Currency Board was established in 1912 to supply currency to British West Africa. It issued its first coins in 1913 and its first currency notes three years later. Its creation formed part of the wider colonial replacement of barter, commodity currencies, gold dust, and cowries with monetary systems linked to sterling in London.
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Le récit
The British colonial administration introduced European monetary systems into its African territories to replace barter, commodity currencies, gold dust, and cowries. The policy was closely connected to the expansion of cash-crop production, export trade, and the importation of European manufactures. Taxes were increasingly demanded in cash, while expanding wage labour was paid in European coin.
In British West Africa, the West African Currency Board was established in 1912 to supply currencies to the colonies. The Board issued its first coins in 1913, with denominations of two shillings, one shilling, sixpence, and threepence. Three years later, it issued its first currency notes.
The currency arrangements tied colonial monetary life to Britain. Currencies in the British African territories were linked with sterling in London, reinforcing the economic relationship between the colonies and the metropolitan country. The spread of currency also created the conditions for banking institutions to operate across British Africa.
XXᵉ siècle
British West Africa
Traduction non disponible · Original (anglais) · français indisponible
The West African Currency Board was established in 1912 to supply currency to British West Africa. It issued its first coins in 1913 and its first currency notes three years later. Its creation formed part of the wider colonial replacement of barter, commodity currencies, gold dust, and cowries with monetary systems linked to sterling in London.
Poursuivre l’exploration
Le récit
The British colonial administration introduced European monetary systems into its African territories to replace barter, commodity currencies, gold dust, and cowries. The policy was closely connected to the expansion of cash-crop production, export trade, and the importation of European manufactures. Taxes were increasingly demanded in cash, while expanding wage labour was paid in European coin.
In British West Africa, the West African Currency Board was established in 1912 to supply currencies to the colonies. The Board issued its first coins in 1913, with denominations of two shillings, one shilling, sixpence, and threepence. Three years later, it issued its first currency notes.
The currency arrangements tied colonial monetary life to Britain. Currencies in the British African territories were linked with sterling in London, reinforcing the economic relationship between the colonies and the metropolitan country. The spread of currency also created the conditions for banking institutions to operate across British Africa.