Southern Nigeria Protectorate Paper Money, 1909 Unissued Proof banknotes
Southern Nigeria Protectorate Paper Money 1909 Unissued Proof banknotes World paper money picture catalog money banknotes paper money IBNS International Bank Note Society collectible numismatics collecting syngraphics scripophily world numismatics world papermoney Garry Saint Esq Garry Saint
Garry Saint
Southern Nigeria Protectorate Paper Money, 1909 Unissued Proof banknotes
http://www.numismondo.net/flags/sng/sng_favicon.ico
COLONY & PROTECTORATE OF SOUTHERN NIGERIA

1901 Proposed Banknote PROOFS

Southern Nigeria is not a country listed in any coin or banknote numismatic catalogs. If you also collect postage stamps, you can find stamps for this colony issued from 1901-1913. Thanks to an avid banknote numismatic researcher, The Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria has now been listed in the Numismondo World Paper Money Picture Catalog. Our listing above includes 12 different Proof banknotes and the original correspondence between Mr. Thomas DeLaRue, Director of the printing company and Southern Nigeria High Commissioner, Sir Walter Egerton K.C.M.G. who was resident in Dorchester, England. Egerton never took office in Lagos as he had an acting High Commissioner, James Jamieson Thorburn, resident in Southern Nigeria.

Southern Nigeria (1900 - 1914) was a British Protectorate formed by amalgamating the Niger Coast Protectorate with territories chartered

by the Royal Niger Company below Lokoja on the Niger River. The Lagos colony was later added in 1906 and the territory was officially

renamed the Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria. (1)

The British pound sterling was the official currency of the new colony. It has been reported in several publications that the British West African pound was used in

Southern Nigeria from 1913-14, however, the West Africa Currency Board did not begin issuing their banknotes until 1916, it is there for assumed that the British

pound continued use until 1916. The Colony used the BWA Pound from 1916 - 58 with the exception of an emergency WWI issues by the Nigeria Government in

1918. The Nigeria Pound-Naira began in 1958 and continues today.

In 1909, the researcher found a proposal to Introduce a new currency for the Southern Nigeria Colony & Protectorate. An order was given to British banknote printing

company De La Rue. The result of the proposal for these new banknotes consists of a 2 page letter from the Director of De La Rue,

addressed to Sir Walter Egerton K.C.M.G, Governor of Southern Nigeria (1904 - 1912), explaining the details of the proposed

notes for Southern Nigeria. It contained the designs of front and back of all proposed denominations, with additional different

back designs, example of underprint and watermark papers in different colors. In total there are 20 items contained in this lot and

becomes a full set with letter and all the contents, as mentioned in the letter, without any missing items.

From the correspondence it appears that the five denomination set of banknotes was in an advanced stage of development. It was

awaiting approval of the reverse designs from several possible submitted designs which included a hippopotamus with its mouth

wide open, a hippo side view and some various colour features. During this period of banknote history there was not much in terms

of security features except for watermarks. TdlR proposed a new "protective overprint....guarding them against forgery by photography

or direct transfer to stone." They also included 5 different coloured papers with watermark for consideration. Mr. DeLaRue requested a fee of ₤635 to perform the engraving of the plates - a paltry sum in today's terms! It was very interesting to read all of the original

correspondence and to see the resulting designs, none of which would ever materialize into issued banknotes.

This proposal never got beyond the proposal stage because of disputes between the Colonial government and the Treasury over the silver signorage privileges

enjoyed by the British Bank of West Africa. In 1916 the British West Africa Currency Board issued its first banknotes obviating the need for Southern Nigeria

banknotes, with these PROOFS languishing in the vaults of De La Rue for over 100 years before discovery.

All the items are original and certified by PCGS with grades ranging from 58 AU to 64 UNC. These are 100+ years old, directly from the archives of the printer. There

is no information found or recorded anywhere about this proposal and none of the paper money catalogs list a country called SOUTHERN NIGERIA. "This lot

represents a missing numismatic history and is clearly a national Nigerian treasure" as stated by the researcher.

We gratefully acknowledge Ramkumar for submitting these original images and the wonderful historic story surrounding their preparation. 6.8.2016 GSE