Description

In the late 19th century, the territory north of the Transvaal was chartered to the British South Africa Company, led by Cecil Rhodes. Rhodes and his Pioneer Column marched north in 1890, acquiring a huge bloc of territory that the Company would rule until the early 1920s. In 1923, the Company's charter was revoked, and Southern Rhodesia attained self-government and established a legislature.

In 1953 Southern Rhodesia and the British Protectorate of Northern Rhodesia were joined as the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. This Federation broke up in 1963 with Zambia and Malawi forming out of the old Northern Rhodesia. Southern Rhodesia was not granted independence by Britain because of problems with its white minority rule but in 1965 declared its independence. Britain and the United Nations imposed economic sanctions but it was not until 1978 that representative government was achieved. In 1980 Britain granted independent rule and the country became the Republic of Zimbabwe. This coin was issued during the phase of white minority rule.

Engraver: Thomas Sasseen