...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 - NRBT)

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; and Sione Hgongo Kioa was printed in 2018, and then released in 2020. According to the central bank, this note is referred to as Series 2020.

 

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) were commemorative notes celebrating the Coronation of King Tupou VI. Like the 2018 reprint, the commemorative text for this note has been removed from the design of this note.

 

And 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 very popular note circulating in the country or they are not printing a lot for this denomination. Tonga has a small population of just under 106,000 people.

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