Description
The dalasi is the official currency in Gambia since 1971, which replaced the West African Currency after its Independence in 1965. The name derives from “dala”, a nickname used for the West African French 5 franc bill, which has an allusion that is derived from “dollar”, on the other hand, “butut” is from “wolof butuut”, which means “small thing”. The Central Bank of Gambia assumed monetary emission and started the first coins issued in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 bututs and 1 dalasi. In 1998 a new coin’s series was introduced, but since 2019, bututs coins have disappeared due to low value, the 1 dalasi coin is the minimum monetary unit used nowadays.
The 1 Gambian dalasi coin front design feature Dawda Jawara (1924 – 2019), who was the first president of the Gambia between 1970 and 1994. The reverse coin design has a crocodile and the denomination in English and Arabic letters. This coin is part of the 1987 series. Its rim is plain and alternating milled, and its color is silver
Text: Republic of The Gambia, 1987, 1 Dalasi.