Tonga’s New
p. 24 · Read in the full issue
1,000 Mils To £
Tonga’s New Money
WHILE other British countries talk of some day adopting decimal coinage, the Kingdom of Tonga is getting on with the job of implementing the proposals.
With the aid of the Royal Mint, Mr. D. M. Blakely, FRSA, is now designing and preparing the plaster casts of the new coins.
The system adopted is based on the pound unit. New coins will be in the following values: 1 mil (one thousandth of a I) ; 5 mil; 10 mil; 25 mil, 50 mil; and 100 mil. These are roughly equal to Id; 2ld; 6d; 1 -; and 2/-. The 1 mil and 5 mil coins will be of nickel-brass and perforated.
The remaining coins will be of cupro-n ick e 1. The 10 mil piece will have a scalloped edge, and all except the per forated coins will bear the profile of Queen Salote on the obverse side, and on one or other side will also carry a border of ifi (horse chestnut) leaves and three stars repre senting the three sub-groups of the Tonga Islands Introduction of the new coinage will not in any way affect overseas exchange rates.