Nominating Organziation Name:
Central Bank of Eswatini
Coin Issuers Name:
Central Bank of Eswatini
Date of Coin issue:
Limited in Circulation:
Coin Description
On 1 April 2024, the Bank turned 50. To mark this milestone, the Bank issued a 50th anniversary commemorative coin in recognition of our progress as a country in the past five decades. The coin recognises and celebrates our cultural heritage, environment and tourism, financial and technological advancements including infrastructural development.
The obverse of the 50th anniversary commemorative coin recognizes the enduring institution of the monarch since the 18th century and hence, has a portrait of His Majesty dressed in a traditional gear constituting of Ligcebesha (traditional necklace) and ligwalagwala (lourie bird feather) reserved for royalty.
The reverse side of the coin features five elements:
- The country’s foremost tourist attraction, the Sibebe Rock, considered as one of the largest and oldest granite rocks in the world. It is recognized as a notable heritage site and geological landmark which attracts thousands of tourists interested in hiking, rock climbing and experiencing the natural beauty of Eswatini’s landscape including biodiversity.
- The country’s main international airport – a symbol of National Sovereignty and Identity is a gateway to the World that plays a crucial role in enhancing Eswatini’s economic development, plus improving transportation efficiency and logistics.
- The Central Bank of Eswatini building – Also known as “Umntsholi WemaSwati”, (inner secret storage), has been in use since 1979. This is not just a physical structure but a symbol of the country’s monetary and financial stability.
- The NFC / tap-and-pay symbol in the coin highlights the significant strides in financial technology and innovation, which includes cardless and contactless payments including mobile money payments. These have enhanced financial inclusion and increased access to finance, adoption of Electronic Payment Systems, and the overall economic efficiency in the country,
- The Circuit board symbolises technological advancements in inter-alia, the energy, manufacturing, communication and information technology sectors.
Innovation and unique aspects
Artistic Features – The coin’s design includes finely detailed engravings, capturing the intricate craftsmanship that is typical of commemorative coins. This includes textured backgrounds on the images and raised elements to enhance visual appeal.
There are four main features on the coin, which were the main challenge for the designer to include in one coin. These features include :
- Sibebe rock: country’s foremost tourist attraction destination.
- The country’s main international airport.
- Central Bank of Eswatini Building “Umntsholi WemaSwati”.
- The tap-and-pay symbol in the coin shows the significant strides in financial innovation.
- Circuit Board Integration representing technological advancements.
Unique Minting Techniques: To set it apart, the coin used advanced minting techniques and partial gilding, giving it a distinctive look that celebrates the anniversary with a touch of modernity.
High-Quality Materials: The coin is minted from silver which is high quality alloy, ensuring durability and a premium feel.
Elegant Presentation : The coin is presented in a high-quality, aesthetically pleasing case, and each has a certificate of authenticity and information about the coin’s design and significance.
This is the first precious metal commemorative coin issued since the country’s name change from Swaziland to Eswatini Overall, this commemorative coin blends traditional Eswatini culture with modern design elements, making it a unique collectible that honours the Central Bank’s 50-year legacy.
Overall integration of Features
This is one coin that has various features on the reverse side of the coin. To ensure that all the five features were well incorporated into the coin, innovative and modern technology was used to integrate the various design features.
Below is a structured overview of the design thinking process and the innovative aspects of the coin design:
- Initial Concept and Exploration: The design began with the creation of a mind map to brainstorm and explore different design options and features that could be included on the coin.
- Design Selection and Refinement (Feature Selection): After brainstorming, we narrowed down to specific visual features that would best represent the theme and commemorate the CBE 50th Anniversary.
- Design Development Design Software: One CBE official Mr. Lwazi Ian Dlamini designed the coin and used CorelDRAW Graphics Suite to integrate the selected elements into a cohesive design. This software combined all five visual features into a single graphic that tells a unified story.
- Innovation in Production/ Minting Submission: The Bank then signed an agreement with The South African Mint and submitted the design for production The Mint indicated that traditionally, coin designs were created through physical drawings, which were then manually engraved into moulds and then transferred into dies which are used to strike coins. In order to incorporate all the elements in this coin new technology was used. The design that was submitted by CBE was initially created using CorelDRAW and the Minter converted the design into vector format. Once all the elements were incorporated into the coin the Minter used laser technology. This a new technology that is used for precision engraving and minting. This method allows for greater accuracy and detail compared to manual engraving.
This is the first time for Eswatini to use such innovative process.
Highlights an event
In May 10, 2024, the Central Bank of Eswatini commemorated its 50th Golden Jubilee Celebration. An event that was marked with excitement and a sense of achievement. What made the event more profound was that it was held at the under construction, eco-friendly CBE Headquarters in Ezulwini.
The celebration was graced by His Majesty King Mswati III and members of the Royal Family. The King, as the Head of State is a respected symbol of Eswatini culture, hence the obverse of all coins and banknotes have the portrait of His Majesty wearing three feathers of the lourie bird (Ligwalagwala), reserved for Royalty, as well as a traditional necklace (Ligcebesha).
Since the launch of the Lilangeni Currency in 1974, the country’s banknotes and coins have been telling the Eswatini story of economic growth and industrialization whilst showcasing the nation’s culture, tradition and tourism. During the 50th Anniversary Celebration, His Majesty officially unveiled the commemorative E50 coin, which tells the Eswatini story of technological advancement, tourism and unity of EmaSwati. Having the coin as a E50 denomination was a deliberate effort of blending the Bank’s 50th anniversary celebration. Infact, the unveiling of the coin during the ceremony added flair to an already historic and symbolic event.
Eswatini prides itself in having to tell its story through currency, and the E50 commemorative coin is no different. What equally stands out is that the Swati culture features significantly in our currency and further captures the transition between His Majesty King Sobhuza II and His Majesty King Mswati III who became the youngest monarch when he came to power in 1986 at the age of 18.
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