So lately I've been studying the history of Rhodesia (reading Wikipedia) and I found it quite fascinating. Now I'm not going to get into the politics as they could get contentious, but regardless of how you feel, its history is fascinating. I've been watching videos on YouTube by John Edmond, a former "troopie" and musician and I've started to wonder about their coinage. First of all, the coinage likely looked like most colonial coinage from 1893-UDI, but after UDI it gets interesting. Rhodesia was cut off from the rest of the world, and despite their efforts succumbed to the communist forces and Mugabe succeded Ian Smith. I say succeeded, but it was a completely different office as he was now in charge of Zimbabwe and not Rhodesia. This in-between period had some very unique coinage. It seems that they issued gold coins to commemorate UDI with very Rhodesian designs, though I haven't seen many, if I ever have the budget these coins will receive a place of honor in my collection. Now reading this, I'm sure you're wondering when I'll end up sharing images of my Rhodesian coins. Well, unfortunately, I have none. While my budget is tight, I satiate my desire for coin knowledge by learning as much as possible about obscure and potentially contentious historical topics. Of course, I always try to tie it into my numismatic hobby. Now that I think about it, I might have some depending on how valuable their coins are. I received a "grab bag" of world coins as a gift a few years ago, and while I didn't document them I did notice some African nations like Lesotho and countries that no longer exist like Yugoslavia, so maybe I've got some coins that complete that Venn diagram. The country has a fascinating history and I would encourage you to read up on it, and maybe give "Troopiesongs" a listen. To end, if you have any Rhodesian coins, history, or Rhodesian memorabilia in general, I would love to see it!
Gold Coins of Rhodesia: These coins were minted by the independent Rhodesian Government as commemoratives in proof condition only. Rhodesia One Pound 1966 Gold, 22.0 mm, 7.98 gm Obverse: Queen Elizabeth II facing right Reverse: Tusked lion (from the British South Africa Company) Mint: South African Mint (5000 pieces) Rhodesia 10 Shillings 1966 (1/2 pound) Gold, 14.0 mm, 3.00 gm Obverse: Queen Elizabeth II facing right Reverse: Sable antelope Mint: South African Mint (6000 pieces)
I have some nice rolls of BU Rhodesian pennies and have purchased some large lots of mixed Rhodesian coins - I do have some silver proofs, but the gold is out of my budget. A bit of history - starting with Cecil Rhodes. Cecil Rhodes came to South Africa in 1869 at age 16, the son of an English vicar, with the hope the climate would help his poor health. In 1870 diamonds had been discovered around Kimberly on a farm and miners took over the area, including young Cecil. He gradually took over the diamond claims at Kimberly and formed a near monopoly of diamond mining and the diamond trade, forming De Beers Consolidated Mines (with a partner). He became Prime Minister of the Cape Colony but was ousted during the first Boer War (with neighboring Afrikaner colonies) He was brilliant and complicated (and racist) and he died young of heart problems that plagued him his entire life. Rhodesia came to be named for him because of his stature and he did own large parcels of property there and built a house that is still preserved as a hotel. The Rhodes Scholarship was endowed in his will. I have a lot of African coins - and I love the history of coins from countries that no longer exist (Lundy, Burma, Hawaii, Swaziland, etc) Now as to me, when I was a kid I was fascinated with Africa - it may have started with Edgar Rice Burroughs and Tarzan comics, but I was a serious student (occasionally) and made a study of it. I became a foreign exchange student to South Africa (this is in the years after 1981 when Rhodesia became Zimbabwe) and I was in love with a "Zimmer" - who's parents had left then Rhodesia some years before. I later studied abroad in college in West Africa, and I warn my kids if I don't get grandkids I may go live like a king on the beach in Senegal half the year (Senegal is amazing!). I think that's honestly a good part of the basis for my interest in Rhodesian coins - they remind me of a lovely young woman I once knew.
Here's a thread on Rhodesian coins I started a few years ago. https://www.cointalk.com/threads/coins-of-rhodesia.386678/ I have a soft spot for colonial African coins, and this is a nation that you don't see pop up too often if you're not specifically looking for it. A few years ago I read a book called "Where We Have Hope: A Memoir of Zimbabwe." It was an interesting perspective on life in the country right around the time that it became independent and Mugabe took over.
