4087) Namibia has introduced upgraded Banknotes and Brand new Coinage with the theme of “Our Currency, Our Heritage, Our Pride – Meet the Next Generation of the Namibia Dollar”: New Look, Same Value: 2025:
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Namibia, (officially the Republic of Namibia) is a country in Southern Africa.
Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the northeast, approximating a quadripoint, Zimbabwe lies less than 200 metres (660 feet) away along the Zambezi River near Kazungula, Zambia. Namibia's capital and largest city is Windhoek.
Namibia is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa, and has been inhabited since prehistoric times by the Khoi, San, Damara and Nama people.
Around the 14th century, immigrating Bantu peoples arrived as part of the Bantu expansion.
From 1600 the Ovambo formed kingdoms, such as Ondonga and Oukwanyama.
In 1884, the German Empire established rule over most of the territory, forming a colony known as German South West Africa.
Between 1904 and 1908, German troops waged a punitive campaign against the Herero and Nama which escalated into the first genocide of the 20th century.
German rule ended during the First World War with a 1915 defeat by South African forces.
In 2021, German and Namibian diplomats created a "reconciliation agreement" acknowledging atrocities from the German colonial period.
In 1920, after the end of the war, the League of Nations mandated administration of the colony to South Africa. From 1948, with the National Party elected to power, this included South Africa applying apartheid to what was then known as South West Africa.
In the later 20th century, uprisings and demands for political representation resulted in the United Nations assuming direct responsibility over the territory in 1966, but South Africa maintained de facto rule until 1973.
That year the UN recognised the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) as the official representative of the Namibian people.
Namibia gained independence from South Africa on 21 March 1990, following the South African Border War. However, Walvis Bay and the Penguin Islands remained under South African control until 1994.
Namibia is a stable parliamentary democracy.
Agriculture, tourism and the mining industry – including mining for gem diamonds, uranium, gold, silver and base metals – form the basis of its economy, while the manufacturing sector is comparatively small.
Despite significant GDP growth since its independence, poverty and inequality remain significant in the country. 40.9% of the population is affected by multidimensional poverty, and more than 400,000 people continue to live in informal housing.
With a population of 3.1 million people, Namibia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. Since the end of the Cold War, it has attracted notable immigration from Germany, Angola, and Zimbabwe.
Namibia is a member state of the United Nations, the Southern African Development Community, the African Union and the Commonwealth of Nations.
The new Coinage:
The Bank of Namibia is scheduled to release a new series of redesigned circulation coinage and upgraded banknotes in August 2025:
The newly introduced second-generation coinage series, is the first complete redesign since the Namibia Dollar’s introduction in 1993, and will enter circulation in August 2025.
Smaller in diameter and weights, the new series also sees the introduction of a 20 cent denomination for the first time and the elimination of the smallest value, the 5 cent coin.
The themes and designs focus on the Southern African country’s diverse economy by featuring five key sectors.
The Namibian dollar replaced the South African Rand, which was previously legal tender.
The rand is still legal tender in Namibia due to the Southern African currency union which also includes Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and Lesotho. The Namibian dollar is denoted within the country as N$ in terms of commerce and the ISO code is NAD.
The Coins:
- The coins have been minted by the Mint of Poland in partnership with the Bank of Namibia.
- The Mint of Poland has advised that all denominations were produced in accordance with the highest quality of international standards.
- The coins are lighter, smaller, and more durable, making everyday transactions easier and more efficient.
- Instead of depicting Namibia’s fauna and flora, the new coins now symbolically represent the five key sectors that anchor Namibia’s economy.
These sectors were selected for their substantial contributions to national GDP and their pivotal roles in driving economic growth and development:
N$0.10 – Agriculture. The Reverse of this coin features an image of pearl millet or mahangu stalks, symbolising Namibia’s agricultural backbone and its vital contribution to food security and significant exports of Namibian produce worldwide.
- Alternating flat and reeded edge.
N$0.20 – Renewable energy. A new denomination coin for Namibia, it is being introduced to bridge the gap between the N$0.10 and N$0.50 cent denominations.
The design focusses on the availability and use of wind and solar power with the depiction of a windmill and sun rays, reflecting Namibia’s commitment to sustainable development and of renewable energy.
- Full reeded edge.
N$0.50 – Tourism. The coin depicts the breath-taking landscapes of Sossusvlei and Deadvlei, a proud tribute to Namibia’s tourism sector and its role in shaping the nation’s natural heritage by sharing it with the world.
- In 2023, Namibia welcomed 863,872 international visitors.
- Alternating flat and reeded edge.
N$1.00 - Retail. This denomination highlights the vibrancy of the retail sector, symbolised by the human connection in everyday trade.
The design depicts two hands exchanging coins with the coin’s value 1N$ placed above. The Namibian economy is forecast to be worth $USD14.2 billion for fiscal year 2025.
- Flat edge with an indented circular constant groove.
N$5.00 – Mining. The Reverse of this denomination features both polished and rough diamonds, representing the mining sector’s enduring contribution to the national economy and its global stature in the diamond industry.
Namibia exports a significant amount of diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead and uranium.
The coins include a latent image which show the initials "BON" and the numeral "5".
- The coins have customised edges for easier identification by visually impaired persons and also features an advanced angle effect which an innovative security element developed by the Mint of Poland.
- The coin is struck as bi-metallic with a nickel-plated steel core and a brass-plated steel ring.
- Alternating flat and reeded edge.
The Obverses of all the denominations features a modified design that depicts Namibia’s Coat of Arms (NCOA), the text "REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA" is placed below the crest and the year of issue "2025" is shown above.
Denomination Metal Weight Diameter Coin Quality
10 Cents Copper-plated steel 1.6 g. 15.5 mm. Circulation quality
20 Cents Copper-plated steel 2 g. 17.5 mm.
50 Cents Brass-plated
steel 2.5 g. 19.5 mm.
1 Dollar Brass-plated
steel 3.7 g. 21.5 mm.
5 Dollars Bi-Metallic 6.9 g. 29
mm.
- The new coins are scheduled for release during the month of August and will circulate alongside the current series.
- The Bank of Namibia will advise the public when the first series of coins should be returned and redeemed for new coins and banknotes at a later date.
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