...Tonga - 50 Pa'anga ND2020 Series Hybrid Note..

Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻO Tonga

(Kingdom of Tonga)

 

Pangike Pule Fakafanua 'O Tonga

(National Reserve Bank of Tonga)

Currency - Pa'anga (TOP)

 

I believe this is the only banknote issued so far with the signatures combination of:

 

Prime Minister - Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa (tenure October 2019-December 2021)

Minister of Finance - Tevita Lavemaau (tenure October 2019-December 2021)

Bank Governor - Sione Ngongo Kioa (since August 2013)

 

If there are others printed, then we have not seen it yet.

 

The previous 50 pa'anga with the signatures of Samiuela Akilisa Pohiva/Pohiva Tu'i'onetoe/Sione Hgongo Kioa was printed in 2018, and then released in 2020. According to the central bank, this note is referred to as 2020 series.

 

This 50 pa'anga was first issued on 04.07.2015, and this is the third print of this series. The initial 2015 issue (together with the 100 pa'anga) was a commemorative note celebrating the Coronation of King Tupou VI. Like the 2018 reprint, the commemorative text for this note has been removed from the design of the note.

 

Like those issued since 2015, this 50 pa'anga is also printed on Hybrid materials.

 

Fifty Pa'anga

King Tupou VI

On the front of the note, it depicts the current King of Tonga and next to the portrait is the Coat of Arms. On top of the note is printed with Kingdom of Tonga in English and below is printed with the value of 50 dollars in Tongan language - Pa'anga 'E Nimangofulu. Below this are the signatures and titles of the people that signed on the note. To the locals, the Tongan currency is also referred to as 'dollar' in English even though the official's name is Pa'anga.

 

Signatures: -

Prime Minister - Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa (tenure October 2019-December 2021)

Minister of Finance - Tevita Lavemaau (tenure October 2019-December 2021)

Bank Governor - Sione Ngongo Kioa (since August 2013)

Watermark -  King Tupou VI and letters NRBT

Dimensions - 151.5mm x 70.5mm

 

On the back is the Royal Palace situated in Nuku'Alofa, the capital city of Tonga. This wooden palace was built in 1867 and is located only a short distance from the Pacific ocean. You can say that the palace is beached front facing. The palace is the official residence of the King of Tonga. On top of the note is printed with the bank's name in English - National Reserve Bank of Tonga and the value in Tongan is also repeated on the note.

As you can see from my note, it is printed with the letter prefix E. The 2015 commemorative notes were printed with the letter prefixes of A and B. Letter C was printed on the nd2018 series, but I am not sure if the letter D was also printed for the 2018 series. However, I am not surprised if the central bank had also printed the letter C for the 2018 issue as this is the third prints and the 50 pa'ange denomination must be a popular note circulating in the country. Tonga has a small population of just under 106,000 people.

Tonga Royal Palace in Nuku'alofa (capital city of Tonga)

 

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..Tonga - 50 Pa'anga ND2018 Hybrid Reprint

Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻO Tonga

(Kingdom of Tonga)

 

Pangike Pule Fakafanua 'O Tonga

(National Reserve Bank of Tonga)

Currency - Pa'anga (TOP)

 

Here is a 50 pa'anga Hybrid note reportedly printed in 2018 but only released in 2020. This note is basically a reprint of the previous issue which was first released on 04.07.2015, celebrating the Coronation of King Tupou VI. The King's birth name is ʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho. According to central bank, this is a 2018 series.

 

King Tupou VI was the youngest brother of King George Tupou V who passed away on 18.03.2012. The late King George Tupou V was a bachelor and without any children when he died. King George Tupou V had two other younger brothers, called Prince Fatafehi ʻAlaivahamamaʻo Tukuʻaho and King Tupou VI. However, Prince Fatafehi ʻAlaivahamamaʻo Tukuʻaho's Royal title was stripped from him when he married a commoner and for that he was not named the crowned prince when King George Tupou V was alive. King Tupou VI became the crowned prince on 27.09.2006. Their parents were Taufa'ahau Tupou IV of Tonga (b.1918-2006) and Halaevalu Mata'aho Ahome'e (b.1926-2017).

 

Prior to becoming the crowned prince, King Tupou VI was Tonga's 14th Prime Minister between 2000 and 2006. It was not sure why he resigned unexpectedly but most Tongan political analysts would believe that it was due to political unrest and also the people in Tonga demanded that the Royal family take a lesser role in Tongan politics.

 

As I mentioned above, this is a reprint of the 2015 first issues. However, as the 2015 was a commemorative issue, this reprint is not and as such the commemorative text "Coronation of King Tupou VI" have been omitted from the original design. In addition to this, it also has two new signatures printed on the note.

 

The Designs;-

On the front of the note, it depicts the current King of Tonga and next to the portrait is the Coat of Arms. On top of the note is printed with Kingdom of Tonga in English and below is printed with the value of 50 dollars in Tongan language - Pa'anga 'E Nimangofulu. Below this are the signatures and titles of the people that signed on the note. To the locals, the Tongan currency is also referred to as 'dollar' in English even though the official name is Pa'anga. 

 

On the back is the Royal Palace situated in Nuku'Alofa, the capital city of Tonga. This wooden palace was built in 1867 and is located only a short distance from the Pacific ocean. You can say that the palace is beach front facing. The palace is the official residence of the King of Tonga. On top of the note is printed with the bank's name in English - National Reserve Bank of Tonga and the value in Tongan is also repeated on the note.

As you can see on my note, it is printed with the letter prefix C. The 2015 commemorative notes are printed with the letter prefixes of A and B but I am not sure if the letter C is also printed. However, I am not surprised if the central bank had also printed the letter C for the 2015 issue as 2.5 million or more pieces are not considered to be a lot.

On the front, the note is printed with three signatures. These signatures belong to;

Palemia 'O Tonga (Prime Minister of Tonga) - Samiuela Akilisi Pohiva (tenure 2014-2019);

Minisita Pa'anga (Minister of Finance) - Pohiva Tu'i'onetoe (tenure 2018-2019);

Kovana (Governor) - Sione Hgongo Kioa (tenure since 2013).

 

Very few countries around the world that issued banknotes would have the signature of a sitting Prime Minister or President printed on the note. Tonga is one of those few countries.

This note is printed on Hybrid material, just like the previous issue.

Fifty Pa'anga

nd2018, King ʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho Tupou Vl (.1959)

Tonga Royal Palace in Nuku'alofa (capital city of Tonga)

 

Footnote: 👃

Some websites may have listed this as nd2020 issue, however, according to my source, this is a 2018 print. There is a different between the year sighted and the note was actually printed and issued, especially to the outside world where information are harder to find. Some central banks released press statement to inform the public of the issue to avoid any confusion, and many do not. Some even printed a year date on the note and only get to see the day light the following year or even later. The categorisation or description of banknotes should follow the official release provided by the issuing authority.

Tonga - 2015 Full Set

Two Pa' anga (paper)

ND2015

Reverse

Five Pa' anga (paper)

ND2015

Reverse

Ten Pa' anga (paper)

ND2015

Reverse

Twenty Pa' anga (paper)

ND2015

Reverse

Fifty Pa' anga (Hybrid)

ND2015

Reverse

 One Hundred Pa' anga (Hybrid)

ND2015

Reverse

This is a full set of Pa'anga banknotes released on 29.06.2015. This is a new serial with the new portrait of the current King Tupou Vl. These notes were released to coincide with the coronation of the King on 4.7.2015. Unlike the 2009 series, this series only comes with 6 notes, without the One Pa'anga piece. I can only assume that the One Pa'anga has been replaced by a coin. The designs of these notes are similar to the 2009 issues, except that the reverse design of the two Pa'anga has been replaced by the previous design of the one Pa'anga. In addition to this, the designs also slightly changed with raised prints on the title Kingdom of Tonga, the value and the signatures, and with shiny threads on the 2, 5 10 and 20 Pa'anga notes, watermark of the new King Tupou Vl and the denomination value on the back of each note is also smaller comparing to previous issues. Like the 100 Pa'anga, the 50 Pa'anga is also a Hybrid note. All notes printed with 3 signatures - Prime Minister (Samiuela Akilisi Pohiva), Minister of Finance (Aisake Valu Eke) and Bank Governor (Dr Ngongo Kiao). I personally believe that this whole set could be Hybrid notes. The texture on the notes are very different from previous issues. It has a more glossy look on the surface and the notes for the lower denominations feel a bid thicker and heavier too. This is just my opinion. You can also basically consider this issue as Commemorative notes to celebrate the coronation of the country's King.

.Tonga - 100 Pa'anga ND2008 Commemorative of King George Tupou V (b. 1948-2012)

One Hundred Pa'anga

Brief Description

Prime Minister - Hon Dr. Feleti Vaka'uta Sevele

Minister of Finance - Hon. 'Otenifi Afu'alo Matoto

Dimensions – 150mm x 70mm

Prefix number series – A/00

Date issue - 30 July 2008, no date on note

Obverse - The front of the note is dominated by the portrait of His Majesty King George Tupou V in full military ceremony uniform. On the right it also features the National Coat of Arms. The background and border patterns are derived from Tonga ornaments.

Tupou V was sworn in as King of Tonga on 11 September 2006 following the death of his father King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV on 10 September 2006 (born 4 July 1918). The note was launched by the King on 25th July 2008 and then released to the public for circulation on 30th July 2008 to mark the coronation of His Majesty and the new epoch for the Kingdom. King George Tupou V's full name is Siaosi Taufa'ahau Manumataongo Tuku'aho Tupav V. He was born on 4 May 1948.

This note has a watermark depicting a profile of His Majesty King George Tupou V. The note also contains an optic stripe and sees through features in the form of a cross. The serial number is printed twice, one horizontally and the other laterally. All wording on the front of the note with the exception of the 'Kingdom of Tonga' is in Tongan.
Reverse - The back of the note depicts the beautiful view of Vava'u Harbour with boats and residential homes.

With a rather small Tongan population of 112,000 (2005 estimated), this prefix 'A' could be the only letter printed so far, apart from the replacement prefix if any. Time will tell if there are more prefixes printed.

Note was issued to commemorate the coronation of King George Tupou V.