1 leone 1980
Market Prices
3 salesAbout This Note
This is a well-preserved uncirculated example of Sierra Leone's 1 Leone note from 1980 (Pick P-5c), featuring President Siaka Stevens in traditional regalia on the obverse. The note displays the characteristic olive-green and multicolor palette typical of Thomas de la Rue's production, with an ornate circular security design and the Bank of Sierra Leone building prominently featured on the reverse. In UNC condition, this note represents a clean example of early post-independence Sierra Leonean currency.
Common. This is a regular-issue note from a 10-year production period (1974-1984) with documented serial number prefixes A/13-A/17 for regular circulation. eBay market data shows UNC examples selling for $13.50 (2015) with typical catalog values of $4 for UNC condition (as of 2019). The note's moderate pricing and regular circulation status indicate healthy supply in the collector market.
Issued on 1st March 1980 during President Siaka Stevens' leadership, this note reflects Sierra Leone's monetary sovereignty in the post-colonial era. The prominent depiction of President Stevens, along with the architectural representation of the Bank of Sierra Leone building in Freetown, symbolized the nation's institutional stability and economic governance during the early 1980s. The note's design emphasizes both national leadership and the central banking authority that managed the country's monetary policy.
The obverse features a left-facing portrait of President Siaka Stevens wearing a traditional white fez or similar ceremonial head covering, positioned at the left of the note. The background incorporates an ornate circular security design with radiating colored lines (yellow, orange, and purple stripes) on the right side, serving both decorative and anti-counterfeiting purposes. The reverse displays the Bank of Sierra Leone's institutional headquarters—a modern multi-story building with horizontal architectural lines and balconies—centered on the note. The coat of arms featuring a lion's head in a circular design appears in the upper right of the reverse. Decorative hexagonal frames containing the numeral '1' appear in all four corners, with palm tree symbols incorporated into the heraldic design elements, emphasizing Sierra Leone's national identity.
Front side: 'BANK OF SIERRA LEONE' (issuing institution), 'promise to pay on demand the sum of' (standard currency obligation), 'ONE LEONE' (denomination), '1ST MARCH 1980' (issue date), 'GOVERNOR' / 'DEPUTY GOVERNOR' / 'DIRECTOR' (signature lines for bank officials), 'A/16 013305' (serial number, appears twice). Back side: 'BANK OF SIERRA LEONE' (repeated issuer identification), 'ONE LEONE' (denomination repeated), '1' (denomination numeral in decorative corner frames).
Intaglio (engraved) printing by Thomas de la Rue, London, as evidenced by the fine line work, intricate guilloche patterns, cross-hatching, and detailed architectural engraving visible throughout the note. The precision of the geometric patterns, security features, and ornamental borders reflects TDLR's sophisticated anti-counterfeiting techniques employed during this production period.
This specific note carries the serial number prefix A/16, placing it within the regular issue range (A/13-A/17). The Pick catalog identifies this as P-5c, one of at least 11 documented variants for the base Pick number P-5. Replacement notes are identified by prefix Z/1, which this note is not. The note exhibits the standard TDLR printer mark. Further variety determination would require examination of additional technical details such as exact signature combinations and any minor design variations across the production run.
