Det du kan läsa här nere, är innehållet i en wordfil jag fick från landets centralbank nån gång år 2003. Det som står på svenska en bit längre ner är vad jag har skrivit.

Fram till 1838

In 1707, the British parliament sanctioned the exchange of British coins for foreign coins within The Bahamas. 

Among the coins being used as a means of payment were the United States’ gold and silver coins, especially in the southern islands of The Bahamas, and Spanish, Mexican and Colombian gold doubloons, which were still in circulation up to the mid-1920s. 

The British Currency Act

However, it was under The British Currency Act of 1838 that the British shilling and pound were introduced as the primary units of account in The Bahamas. 

Bank of Nassau

In 1888, the Bank of Nassau was established and immediately commenced issuing the first local paper currency notes, printed in four shillings and one pound denominations.  During this time, American silver dollars were earnestly accepted by the Bank and re-channeled into general circulation due to periodic shortages of British silver in the colony. 

British Treasury notes (one pound and ten shillings notes) were also in active circulation, along with a number of Bank of England notes. After World War I, local government notes supplemented the pre-war currencies in circulation. This followed on the heels of the closing of the Bank of Nassau in 1917, and the withdrawal of its notes. 

Heightened economic activity in The Bahamas, and an increasing demand for some type of currency provided additional impetus for the establishment of a local currency. Nevertheless, British currency continued to be the accepted currency, up until 1^st November 1936, when sterling silver ceased to be legal tender in the colony for any amount exceeding forty shillings.

The Currency Board

In 1919, legislation in the form of The Currency Note Act was implemented to provide for the issue of local government notes. This marked the inception of a local monetary system which served The Bahamas for almost half a century.

The Currency Board was established during this time, but didn’t begin operations until 1921 and was the sole issuer of Bahamian notes until 1968, when the Bahamas Monetary Authority assumed this responsibility. The Currency Board was responsible for ensuring that local currency could be exchanged on demand for sterling in London and vice versa.

The Currency Act of 1965

However, it was through The Currency Act of 1965 that The Bahamas was placed on a more autonomous path. This act endorsed the conversion of the Bahamian pound to the Bahamian dollar and also the decimalization of the currency. 

Most countries in the world had already changed or were in the process of changing to a decimal currency system, since it was much easier to calculate in units of ten than in any other unit. The conversion costs for business machines was not significant since tourist related establishments were already using machines designed for calculating in dollars.

The name selected for the new currency was deemed to be one that inspired confidence in the public, that was acceptable in all business transactions, and one with which the people would readily become familiar. It was therefore decided that the new currency be expressed in dollars, a nomenclature Bahamians have regarded and used for over one hundred years.

Other countries, including the United States and Canada had already adopted the term dollar, and given The Bahamas’ close ties with these countries and efforts to establish itself as a major offshore banking centre, it was considered appropriate to follow suit.

On May 25, 1966, the new monetary unit was introduced and pegged to the pound sterling at the rate of seven shillings to the dollar. Bahamian notes were issued in denominations of half dollar, one three, five, ten, twenty, fifty and one hundred dollars, replacing four and ten shilling notes and one and five pound bills. 

Additionally, coins were issued in denominations of ten, five, two and one dollar and fifty cents, minted in .925% silver; twenty five cents, minted in pure nickel; fifteen cents, ten cents, and five cents minted in cupro/nickel alloy, and one cent minted in copper. Through the Currency (Amendment) Act 1967, the link with Sterling was permanently severed in 1972. Then the decision to fix the Bahamian dollar against the US dollar was precipitated by the Bruttonwoods currency crisis, which led to the floating and devaluation of the UK pound.

The Central Bank of The Bahamas

The Central Bank not only has the exclusive right of issue, but the responsibility to re-issue and redeem its own notes. Notes issued by The Central Bank of The Bahamas are legal tender in The Bahamas, at their face value for the payment of any amount. 

Coins issued by The Central Bank of The Bahamas are legal tender up to one hundred Bahamian dollars, if the coins are denominated above Bahamian one dollar, while coins of a lesser value are legal tender up to the amount of Bahamian five dollars. However, all notes and coins in circulation prior to 1974 are legal tender, until The Central Bank of The Bahamas, giving not less than a month’s notice in the Official Gazette, withdraws them for redemption at face value.

-Slut på centralbankens berättelse, min text följer här nere. Lite upprepning, lite nytt.

Mera om landets valutahistorik

Fram till första världskriget

Innan Bank Of Nassau kom igång med sin sedelutgivning så gav myndigheterna ut en 1 punds sedel i form av lokala pund (benämnd A9 i Standard Catalog Of World Paper Money). Det var år 1868. Året därefter gav de ut ännu fler sedlar - denna gång i valörerna 1 och 5 pund (A10-A11).

Centralbanken påstår i texten ovan att de första egna sedlarna i landet gavs ut år 1888. Utgivare var Bank Of Nassau. Enligt Standard Catalog of World Paper Money gavs dock dessa sedlar ut redan på 1870 talet. Hursomhelst, sedlarna benämns A1-A4b. Valörerna i nämnda första utgåva från Bank Of Nassau var 5 och 10 shilling samt 1 pound.

Det var en alltså lokal variant av pund som gavs ut.

Bank Of Nassau gav ut sin andra utgåva med start 1896, och ytterligare en utgåva kom med start 1906. Centralbanken berättar längre upp att Bank Of Nassau slog igen år 1917 och att dess sedlar då drogs in.

Bahamas government

Förhoppningsvis var det en viss övergångsperiod innan bankens sedlar inte längre var giltiga, ty för först år 1919 gav Bahamas government ut sina första utgåva sedlar (P1-P7), utöver de som getts ut på 1860 talet. 1 november 1936 upphörde brittiska valutan att vara giltigt betalningsmedel på Bahamas.

En sedel från Bahamas government från år 1953 (P13c) ser du här:

4 Shillings, 1953.

Bahamas dollarn

1965-66 ersatte landet sin pund med en ny valuta, sin egen Bahamas dollar. Bahamas government (via en "currency board") var valutautgivande organ ända till 1968. Bahamas government hann ge ut en uppsättning sedlar i dollar (i valörerna 1/2 dollar till 100 dollars), innan de upphörde ge ut valuta. Myndigheternas dollars-sedlar benämns P17-P25 i Krauses böcker.

Och jag äger faktiskt en sådan. Se den här:

1/2 Dollar 1965. P18a.

Obs endast 1 exemplar är till försäljning. Du kan alltså inte beställa flera. När du vill gå till kassan, använd knappen view cart som finns längst upp till höger på denna sida  - och på varje sida på dena sajt där jag säljer sedlar eller mynt. (Only within Sweden, contact me at uan (at) banknotes.se if youre living outside Sweden and want to buy this banknote):

Bahamas Monetary Authority

1968 tog Bahamas Monetary Authority över valutautgivningen. Bahamas Monetary Authority gav ut sedlar till 1974 och de benämns P26-P33 i Krauses böcker. Här är en:

P27. One Dollar, började ges ut 1968.

Central Bank Of Bahamas

1974 tog Central Bank Of Bahamas över valutautgivningen. Och de har hand om det fortfarande. En centralbankssedel ser du längre upp på sidan.

-slut-

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