Lesotho 200 Maloti

Description

The Loti is the official currency of the Kingdom of Lesotho, and its name derived from the Sesotho language “loti”, which means mountain. It circulates alongside the South African rand through the Common Monetary Zone, and both are accepted as legal tender in Lesotho. The first issue of the Loti was made in 1966, although it was not considered a circulating currency until 1980 when the first loti coins were issued to replace the rand. Even so, the South African rand remains legal tender in the kingdom. The kingdom introduced the first banknote series in denominations of 2, 5 and 10 maloti in 1980, followed by 20 and 50 maloti in 1981 and 100 and 200 in 1994. In 2011, the Central Bank of Lesotho introduced a new banknotes series.

The 200 Lesotho maloti Namibian note front design features portraits of Letsie III (David Mohato Bereng Seeiso), King of Lesotho at the center, Moshoeshoe II (1938 – 1996), who was the Paramount Chief of Basutoland at the left and Moshoeshoe I (1776 – 1870) who was the first son of Mokhachane, a minor chief of the Bamokoteli lineage, at the right. The portrait is accompanied by the mokorotlo, a type of straw hat used in traditional dress in the kingdom and is also the national symbol of Lesotho, The National Coat of Arms, and the denomination. The reverse note side illustrates traditional Lesotho merchant of handicrafts mounted on horseback who carries his merchandise, the mokorotlo and the denomination in the Sesotho language. This note is part of the 2015 series, and its color is tan red on a multicolor underprint.

Text: Central Bank of Lesotho, This note is legal tender for Two Hundred Maloti, Governor, King Moshoeshoe II, King Letsie III, Morena Moshoeshoe I, Khotso, Pula, Nala, Maloti a Mashome a Makholo a Mabeli, Maloti 200, 200, 2015.