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5 Shillings
| Issuer | Government of the British Solomon Islands |
|---|---|
| Year | 1916-1926 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | The colonial arms vignette is centred at the top, enclosed within an ornate cartouche and surrounded by a dense guilloche border running the full perimeter of the note. The denomination '5/-' appears in dark intaglio numerals within decorated panels at left and right, with 'FIVE SHILLINGS' in bold letterpress across the centre. A date line, two manuscript signatures with printed title designations, and a serial number in the lower margin complete the face. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BRITISH SOLOMON ISLANDS PROMISES TO PAY THE BEARER ON DEMAND THE SUM OF FIVE SHILLINGS |
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| Comments |
The British Solomon Islands Protectorate had no banking infrastructure whatsoever in the early twentieth century — no commercial bank operated there until well after this issue. These emergency government notes were produced to facilitate trade, primarily in copra, which was the dominant export commodity and the main driver of whatever cash economy existed on the islands at the time.
Pick 1 is among the rarest Pacific island issues of the period. The small population, limited circulation pool, and tropical climate conspired against survival. Paper deteriorates rapidly in that environment, and there was no particular reason for anyone to preserve these carefully.