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4 Shillings
| Issuer | Government of Tonga |
|---|---|
| Year | 1935-1965 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 4 Shillings (1/5) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | FOUR SHILLINGS GOVERNMENT OF TONGA TREASURY NOTE THESE NOTES ARE LEGAL TENDER FOUR SHILLINGS FOR THE PAYMENT OF ANY AMOUNT 19th May, 1939. FOUR |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | 4/s FOUR FOUR 4/s |
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| Comments |
The Tongan pa'anga system was not yet in place when this note circulated — Tonga retained British-style pounds, shillings, and pence until decimalisation in 1967, which makes a 4 Shilling denomination a direct reflection of local commercial custom rather than any standard British template. The denomination has no parallel in sterling practice; it emerged from Tonga's own pricing habits.
De La Rue printed this series across a thirty-year window without significant design revision, an unusually long plate life even by colonial issuing standards.