Description
The lilangeni is the official currency of Swaziland since 1974 when it was introduced at par the South African rand. Even so, the South African Rand is accepted in the country due to the Common Monetary Area agreement. In 1974, The Monetary Authority of Swaziland introduced coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and 1 lilangeni, followed by 2 and 5 emalangeni in 1995. In 2016, the Central Bank of Swaziland introduced a new series of coins, and all the previous coins were demonetized.
The 50 Swazi cents coin front design features the portrait of Mswati III, who is the King of Swaziland and head of the Swazi Royal Family. The reverse coin design illustrates the National Coat of Arms (consists of a shield containing a traditional Nguni shield with two spears. A lion and an elephant support the shield; at the top, it is a king’s lidlabe, or crown of feathers. At the base, a banner with the national motto: “Siyinqaba” – (We are the fortress)), the denomination and the issue date. This coin is part of the 2011 series, its rim is plain, and its color is silver.
Text: Swaziland, Siyinqaba, 50 Cents, 2011.