Ghanaian Paper Money

Ghanaian Paper Money

Collecting coins and paper currency from the African country of Ghana can be an enjoyable hobby and pastime. Finding the right pieces of African currency for your collection can be difficult with the number of options available in circulation. Here are some questions that may come up when making a selection.

The country of Ghana is located on the continent of Africa, and its capital city is Accra. The country has produced a series of specimen banknotes throughout the years that have been sought out by collectors of currency produced by the African government, headquartered in Accra. These are printed in limited amounts and will have the word "specimen" printed on them. Some specimens may be printed to test anti-counterfeiting technologies, test a design, or serve other purposes. Ghanaian government specimens may have certain images missing from the note to help distinguish it from general economic currency.

Since the independence of the country of Ghana from Africa, different currency denominations have been used throughout the country. Understanding the different options available in the African country can be helpful in identifying and selecting pieces of economic government currency, such as coins, for your collection.

• Ghana pound. This currency was used by the African country of Ghana from 1958 until 1965. This currency was based on the British monetary system. These will list the date that the note was printed and have the Bank of Ghana seal on the face of the note.
• Cedi. This was used from 1965 to 1967. The Cedi was based on a decimal system and replaced the Ghana pound. This series has the portrait of the president at the time, Kwame Nkrumah.
• New Cedi. A new design was created in 1967 that removed the portrait of Ghanaian President Nkrumah. This currency note bears the N₵ symbol.
• From 1967 to present, the Cedi was returned. At different times, the denominations have been changed and older series have been discontinued.

Selecting Ghanaian paper money can be an enjoyable task with the many options available. Here are some tips for making a selection.

• Choose a type. You can choose from currency proofs, bank specimens, banknotes, and other types of currency.
• Select a certification. Some Ghanaian currency will have been submitted to organizations like Paper Money Grading or the Professional Coin Grading Service to be graded. This can be helpful if you’re searching for pieces that have never been introduced into circulation in Africa.
• Select a time period. The availability and types of Ghanaian money will vary depending on how many pieces have survived.
• Choose a denomination. There will be options between 1 Cedi up to 20,000 Cedi, depending on the series. The 10,000 and 20,000 Cedi notes were introduced in 2002.