1 Pula

The pula — meaning "rain" in Setswana — was introduced in 1976 when Botswana replaced the South African rand to establish an independent monetary system, a move made viable by the country's rapidly expanding diamond revenues. By the time this series was struck, Botswana had become one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, largely on the strength of the Orapa and Jwaneng mines.

The nickel brass composition was chosen for durability in a climate where coinage circulates hard. Seventeen years is a long production run for a single type, and examples from the early 1990s show noticeably more wear than those struck closer to 2007.