Before Zambia’s independence in 1964, Northern Rhodesia used the British pound as legal tender before migrating to the Kwacha in 1965. The Currency Act of 1967 saw the birth of the Zambian Kwacha and ngwee replacing the Zambian pound, shilling and pence in 1968.
The new currency designated the main unit as the Kwacha comprising of 100 ngwee and had the following banknotes and coins in its family: K1, K2, K10 and K20 banknotes and 50 ngwee, 20 ngwee, 10 ngwee, 5 ngwee 2 ngwee and 1 ngwee in coins.
Details
- Date of Issue: 16 January 1968
- Reprintings:
- 26 November 1968 (15n, K1, K2)
- 7 January 1969 (20n, 25n, 50n)
- 22 April 1969 (1n, 2n, 3n, 5n, 8n, 10n)
- 27 October 1970 (2n, 5n, 8n, K1)
- Date Withdrawn:
- Date Invalidated:
- Designer: Gabriel Ellison
- Printer: Harrison & Sons Ltd.
- Process: Photogravure
- Paper:
- Watermark: None
- Perf:
- 13.5 x 14.5 (1n, 3n, 15n, 50n)
- 14.5 x 13.5 (others)
- Gum:
- Gum Arabic (original printings)
- Polyvinyl Alcohol (all reprints)
- Cylinders:
- Sheet:
- 10 x 10 (1n, 2n, 3n, 5n, 8n, 10n)
- 5 x 10 (20n, 25n, 50n)
- 10 x 5 (15n, K1, K2)
- Quantity:
PVA gum does not reflect light like gum arabic. The PVA caused issues for the post offices and notices were put up to advise customers to use pots of paste for their convenience.
Sheets from all the reprintings were returned to the printers for re-gumming. These can be distinguished by the thicker layer of gum within a rectangle area approximately the size of the design on the reverse of each stamp. New sheet numbers (in orange) were printed near the bottom of the right hand margins of sheets so treated.
Subjects
- 1n – Lusaka Cathedral
- 2n – Baobab Tree
- 3n – Zambia Airways
- 5n – National Museum, Livingstone
- 8n – Vimbuza Dancer
- 10n – Picking Tobacco
- 15n – Nudaurelia Zambesina
- 20n – Crowned Crane
- 25n – Angoni Warrior
- 50n – Chokwe Dancer
- 1K – Kafue Rail Bridge
- 2K – Eland
First Day Covers
A specifically designed first day cover was made available at post offices for 1s.0d (10 ngwee).
In addition, the G.P.O Stamp Bureau made up covers in three price ranges:
- First day covers bearing seven stamps (1n to 15n) at a cost of 5s.6d (55N)
- First day covers bearing ten stamps (1n to 50n) at a cost of 15s.0d (K1.50)
- First day cover with the complete issue at a cost of £2.5s.0d. (K4.50)
The prices included airmail, registration and service charges.
Zambia National Archives
The Zambia National Archives contained a copy of the following:
-
- A mint sheet of each value
- A set of imperforate proofs individually mounted on presentation cards
- An official first day covers postmarked G.P.O. Stamp Bureau/First Day of Issue
References
- Bank of Zambia: Currency History
- Journal of the Rhodesian Study Circle Vol 70 No.5, Sept 2020 No.281
- Zambia’s Postage Stamps: The Post-Federation Stamp Issues of Northern Rhodesia (1963-1971 – A. R. Drysdall, J. Case