20 Vatu

Vanuatu's currency, the vatu, was introduced in 1981 following independence from the Anglo-French Condominium — one of history's more unusual colonial arrangements, in which Britain and France jointly administered the islands under parallel legal and administrative systems, each with their own courts, police, and schools. The Reserve Bank of Vanuatu was established the same year to manage the new currency, replacing the New Hebrides franc.

The nickel-plated steel composition adopted for this series reflects a broader Pacific regional shift away from cupro-nickel during the 2000s and 2010s, driven largely by rising base metal costs.