297) Bank of Papua New Guinea: 35th Anniversary Celebration (1973-2008): A Commemorative Uncirculated Set consisting of a Two Kina (K2) Banknote & a Two Kina (K2) Coin issued in November 2008:

297) Bank of Papua New Guinea: 35^th Anniversary Celebration (1973-2008): A Commemorative Uncirculated Set consisting of a Two Kina (K2) Banknote & a Two Kina (K2) Coin issued in November 2008:

For more on the “Papua New Guinea: A Commemorative Uncirculated Coin set brought out in 1995 to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Independence” please click on the following link: (Papua New Guinea: A Commemorative Uncirculated Coin set issued in 1995 to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Independence).

About Papua New Guinea:

Papua New Guinea (or the Independent State of Papua New Guinea) is an Oceania country located in the Eastern half of the island of New Guinea and its off-shore islands in Melanesia, located in the South-West Pacific Ocean, North of Australia. Its capital is Port Moresby. The Western half of New Guinea forms the Indonesian Provinces of Papua and West Papua.

The name “Papua” is derived from an old local name, while, “New Guinea” (“Neuva Guinea”) was the name coined by the Spanish explorer Ynigo Ortiz de Retez in 1545, when he noticed a resemblance of the indigenous people with those he had earlier seen along the Guinea coast of Africa. “Guinea” is etymologically derived from the Portuguese word “Guine”.

The Eastern half of the island of Guinea was first sighted by Europeans during the 16^th Century, with Spain, the Netherlands, Britain and Germany all laying claim to the island.

On 03.11.1884, Germany proclaimed a Protectorate over the North-Eastern half of the country and ruled this territory as “German New Guinea”, while the Southern-Eastern half was colonised by the British as “British New Guinea” on 06.11.1884.

Under the Papua Act 1905 Britain transferred British New Guinea to the newly formed Commonwealth of Australia which took over its administration. At this time this territory was renamed the “Territory of Papua”

In World War I, German New Guinea was captured by Australian troops and under a League of Nations mandate, Australia assumed the responsibility of administering this territory. Papua was deemed to be an “External Territory” of the Australian Commonwealth, though “technically” it remained under British possession.  As such, until 1949, both Papua and New Guinea were administered by separate administrations both controlled by Australia.

After World War II, which saw around 216,000 Japanese, Australian and US soldiers die in the New Guinea Campaign – 1942-1945 – the two territories were combined into the “Territory of Papua and New Guinea” which later became “Papua New Guinea”.

In 1951, Papua New Guinea was granted limited home rule.

Papua New Guinea attained its Sovereignty on 16.09.1975, after 60 years of Australian administration when it became a separate Commonwealth Realm with the British monarch as its Head of State and also became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Papua New Guinea was admitted to the United Nations on 10.10.1975.

Evolution of Currency/Coinage in Papua New Guinea:

In 1894, German Marks (DEP) were circulated in German New Guinea with special coins minted for German New Guinea. The British Pound Sterling (GBP) was circulated in British New Guinea around this time.

In 1914, during World War I, the Australian Pound (AUP) was circulated, although the Australian military briefly issued Treasury Notes denominated in German Marks (PGM).

In 1929, coins were minted specifically for New Guinea.

In 1949, after New Guinea and Papua were administered together by Australia, Australian coins circulated in Papua New Guinea.

No coins or paper money were ever issued for British New Guinea, later known as Papua while it was under Australian mandate.

The Kina was introduced on 19.04.1975, replacing the Australian dollar at par and is presently the currency of Papua New Guinea, sub-divided into 100 Toea.

The name “Kina” is derived from the word “Kuanua” of the Toloi region and refers to a callable pearl shell used widely for trading in both the Coastal and Highlands areas of the country.

Coins:

Coins in the denominations of 1 kina and 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 Kina were introduced. The 1 Kina is round and holed in the centre, its size was reduced from 2006 onwards and the larger coin variety (in my coin collection) was demonetised on 31.12.2008.

In 1980, 50 Toea coins were circulated (only denomination not in my coin collection).

A bimetallic 2 Kina Coin was introduced in 2008.

In 2006, the 1 and 2 Toea coins were withdrawn and ceased to be legal tender from 19.04.2007 onwards (both denominations are in my coin collection).

Banknotes:

Also on 19.04.1975, Banknotes in the denominations of 2, 5 and 10 Kina were introduced replacing the Australian dollar at par.

In 1988, 50 Kina Banknotes were introduced.

In 2005, 100 Kina Banknotes were circulated.

All coloration of the individual denominations of Banknotes are the same as the current and former Australian Decimal Currency.

From 1991, Papua New Guinea Banknotes are printed on Polymer substrate with enhanced security features.

From 1999 onwards a new Series of Banknotes has been issued – 50 Kina (1999), 100 Kina (2005), 2 and 20 Kina (2007), 5 and 10 Kina (2008), all issued in Polymer.

The Bank of Papua New Guinea:

The Bank of Papua New Guinea is the Central Bank of Papua New Guinea which was established on 1 November 1973. Until this date, the Reserve Bank of Australia had administered the banking system in Papua New Guinea.

             An image of the Bank of Papua New Guinea Building

During the 35 years the Bank of Papua New Guinea has played a central and indispensable part in the stable development of the internal monetary and financial system and hence the domestic economy of Papua New Guinea.

Commemorating the 35th Anniversary of its establishment in 2008 by issue of a Two Kina (K2) Banknote and Two Kina (K2) Bimetallic coin:

To commemorate this occasion, the Bank is issuing a commemorative Two Kina (K2) Banknote incorporating a special 35^th anniversary overprint and a special Two Kina (K2) coin bearing the logo of the Bank on the reverse and National Crest on the obverse.

The cover of the Commemorative Uncirculated Set consisting of a Two Kina (K2) Banknote & a Two Kina (K2) Coin issued in November 2008. On the top it bears the emblem and name of the “Bank of Papua New Guinea (and continues on the bottom) Celebrates its 35^th Anniversary in November 2008”.

Page two of the commemorative album bears a description of the Bank of Papua New Guinea and the period of Commemoration.

This page reads, inter alia, as follows:

“The special anniversary overprint design makes reference to the corresponding period of “1973-2008”, which helps to simplify public recognition of the event from a historical and commemorative perspective.

The Bank of Papua New Guinea is proud to celebrate this important historic occasion by issuing a special but limited quantity of this 2008 commemorative coin.”

The above is an image of the Front/Obverse of Commemorative set of a Two Kina (K2) Banknote and Two Kina (K2) Coin issued to commemorate the 35^th Anniversary of the establishment of the Bank of Papua New Guinea in 1973.

The above is an image of the Back/Reverse of Commemorative set of a Two Kina (K2) Banknote and Two Kina (K2) Coin issued to commemorate the 35^th Anniversary of the establishment of the Bank of Papua New Guinea in 1973. Also seen on the Commemorative album cover is the logo of the Bank of Papua New Guinea and the National crest.

Banknote Specifications:

Issuer: Bank of Papua New Guinea

Printer: Note Printing Australia

Substrate: Guardian® polymer

Size: 140 mm x 70 mm

An image of the Front of the Two Kina (K2) Commemorative Banknote, mentioning inter alia that the Banknote is “Legal Tender Throughout Papua New Guinea”.

Design: Front: The main elements on the Front are the Parliament House and the National Crest of Papua New Guinea, which is a stylised Bird of Paradise sitting on a “Kundu” (“drum”) and a Spear. There is also a special anniversary overprint incorporating the logo of Bank of Papua New Guinea. Also seen on this face is a Tapa cloth pattern from the Central Province.

 An image of the Back of the Two Kina (K2) Commemorative Banknote, mentioning inter alia that the Banknote is “Legal Tender Throughout Papua New Guinea”.

Back: The key design elements on the Back reflect the culture and heritage of Papua New Guinea, featuring a Mount Hagen axe, Kula Arm Band from Milne Bay, engraved dog’s teeth from Bougainville area and a clay pot from Sepik province.

Security Features: The Banknote has:

A Complex Clear Window

Shadow image

G-Switch™ feature

Denomination Emboss

Simultan Offset

Two-Colour Intaglio (Front)

UV Serial Number (Front)

UV Signatures (Front)

Iridescent Feature (Back)

An image of the Reverse of the Two Kina (K2) Commemorative Coin depicting the logo of the Bank of Papua New Guinea. Mentioned on the upper periphery is “BANK OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA” and on the lower periphery is “35^th ANNIVERSARY 1973-2008”.

 An image of the Obverse of the Two Kina (K2) Commemorative Coin depicting the logo of Papua New Guinea which depicts the Bird of Paradise over a traditional spear and a Kundu Drum. Mentioned on the upper periphery is “ PAPUA NEW GUINEA” and on the lower periphery is mentioned the year of issue "2008".
The Coin specifications are:

Issuer: Bank of Papua New Guinea

Coin Mint: Royal Canadian Mint

Diameter: 33.20 mm

Weight: 12.20 gm

Material: Ring – RCM Multi-ply Nickel; Insert: RCM Multi-ply Bronze

Shape: Round

Edge type: Milled

Thickness: 2.00 mm

Design: Obverse: National Crest of Papua New Guinea

Reverse: Logo of Bank of Papua New Guinea

                                       Images of a "Kundu" (Drum)

Kundu: is a Papuan name for a Drum. A Kundu is of an hour-glass shape made of wood with a snake’s skin as membrane. A handle is placed on the narrowest part of the Drum which is the most beautiful decorated part. Kundu is usually decorated with animal figures on its edges.

For the Papuans the sound of a beating drum has a spiritual significance, as the drum beats represent the voices of their ancestors.  Kundus come in all sizes – from the size of a finger to some being as tall as a man. Wood from different varieties of trees is used for making Kundu drums. For instance, one such tree is called ggage by the Buang of the Morobe Province. The tree is felled and cut into one metre sections for making the Kundu drums.

 The Drum is a cultural symbol of Papua New Guinea, therefore it has been taken on the Country’s Crest/Emblem.

Mount Hagen Ceremonial Stone Axe:

                               An Image of a Mount Hagen Axe
This style of Ceremonial Stone Axe comes from Mount Hagen area which is a high plateau in the western highlands of Papua New Guinea.

Although other varieties of axes are found in the Mt. Hagen area, they are not made by the locals, instead they are made by the Jimi Valley people. Three types of stone axes were popular in the region – the Ceremonial Stone Axe, or “kenduaubu” or “di Kurugu” (in the Kaman language – depending on the colour of the blade), the ordinary axe for everyday use called “di” and the bride-price axe called “gaima” or “kundan” (depending on the colour). The Ceremonial Stone Axe symbolises wealth and prosperity and is used only at important rituals while the “gaima” or “kundan” axes were used for determining bride prices. Usually three or four axes were given for determining the bride prices.

The Kula Arm-Band:

                       An image of Kula Arm-Bands
The Kula exchange, or Kula ring or Kula Arm Band or Bracelet is a ceremonial exchange system prevalent in the Milne Province of Papua New Guinea. It is a local mode of gift giving and a part of gift economies. The Kula ring spans 18 island communities of the Massim archipelago including the Trobriand Islands and encompasses thousands of individuals. Participants travel hundreds of miles by canoe in order to exchange Kula valuables which consist of red shell-disc necklaces – “veigun” or “soulava” – that are traded to the North (circling the ring in a clockwise direction) and white shell Armbands – “mwali” – that are traded in the Southern direction (circling the ring in a counter-clockwise direction). If the opening gift was an armband, then the closing gift must be a necklace and so on. The exchange of Kula valuables is also accompanied by the trade in other items known as “gimwali” (meaning “barter”). The terms of participation vary from region to region.

All Kula valuables are non-use items exchanged purely for the purpose of enhancing one’s social status and prestige. The exchanges are made in carefully prescribed customs and traditional ceremonies. The right of participation in Kula exchange is not automatic but one has to earn one’s place by participating in various lower spheres of exchange before earning a membership to the higher levels.

Interestingly, Kula gifts do not remain for long in the hands of the recipients, but are passed on to other partners within a certain amount of time, thus constantly circling the ring of Islands.

Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea apoda):

                          Images of  Birds of Paradise
The Bird of Paradise is a member of the family Paradisaeidae of the order Passeriformes. The majority of this bird species is found in Eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Eastern Australia.

This bird is known for the plumage of the males of the sexually dimorphic species, in particular the highly elongated and elaborate feathers extending from the beak, wings, tail or head. For the most part, these birds are confined to dense rainforest habitats – sub-tropical and temperate wet forests – with nearly all of them being solitary tree dwellers. Mid-montane habitats are the most commonly occupied habitats, with around 40 species occurring at elevations of 1000 to 2000 metres. A number of species are threatened by hunting and habitat loss.

For many years, the Bird of Paradise was treated as being closely related to the Bowerbirds.

Emblem of Papua New Guinea:

                                    Emblem of Papua New Guinea

Armiger: Elizabeth II in Right of Papua New Guinea

Escutcheon: Bird of Paradise proper

Compartment: Traditional Spear and Kundu Drum

Motto: “Unity in Diversity”.

The National Emblem of Papua New Guinea consists of a Bird of Paradise over a traditional spear and a Kundu drum.

(The above Uncirculated Commemorative Set has been brought by Jayant Biswas for my personal collection from his recent trip to the USA. Post researched and written and scans uploaded by Rajeev Prasad)








Links to Posts on Australia, New Zealand and countries and Overseas Territories of the South Pacific on this blog:

1) Bank of Papua New Guinea: 36th Anniversary Celebrations (1973-2008): A Commemorative Uncirulated Coin Set consisting of a 2 Kina Banknote & a 2 Kina Coin

2) Papua New Guinea: An uncirculated coin set brought out in 1995 commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Independence 

 3) Currency & Coinage of the Soloman Islands: Dollars and Cents

4) New Zealand: New Banknote "Seventh Series" issued under Project "Brighter Money" from 2015 onwards

5) Coinage of the French Polynesian Island of Caledonia (or Nouvelle Caledonie) the CFP Franc  

6) French Institution for issuing uniform currency/coinage for French Overseas Territories in the Pacific and the French Southern Territories of Antarctica: The Institut d'emmission d'outre Mer (IEOM)

7) Currency & Coinage of Samoa: Tala and Sene 

8) Currency of the South Pacific Island Country of Fiji 

9) Coinage of New Zealand: A commemorative coin set issued in 1979 

10) Currency and Coinage of Australia: Dollars and Cents 

11) The Australian Emblem or the Coat of Arms 

12) The story of the Australian Penny 

13) The Legend of the Mutiny on the Bounty: A Commemorative Coin Set from the Pitcairn Islands depicting relics from the Bounty issued in 2009 

14) An Australian $5 coin issued in 1996, commemorating Australia's greatest cricketing legend - Sir Donald Bradman 

15) New Series/Generation of Australian Banknotes being introduced from 01.09.2016 onwards starting from $5 issues