20 shilin 1978
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4 salesAbout This Note
This is an uncirculated 1978 Somalia 20 Shillings note (Pick P-23) issued by the Central Bank of Somalia, featuring pristine condition with no visible wear, creases, or damage. The obverse showcases the striking Central Bank building in Mogadishu rendered in colonial architectural style, centered within ornate pink and earth-toned decorative borders, while the reverse depicts a pastoral scene of cattle grazing in an arid landscape—reflecting Somalia's pastoral economy. The note's fine engraved security features, multilingual inscriptions in Somali, English, and Arabic, and exceptional preservation make it an attractive example for collectors of East African currency.
Common. This is a regular issue note from 1978 with no indication of a limited print run or recall. The eBay market data provided shows consistent sales activity across multiple grades (F, EF, VF) over a 5-year period (2015–2025), with even fine examples selling in the $3–$14 range, and 2019 catalog values placing UNC examples at $85. The consistent circulation in the secondary market and absence of any notation regarding rarity or scarcity in numismatic references indicate this is a widely available note. Somalia's relatively stable banking period in the 1970s would have supported a substantial print run for this denomination.
Issued in 1978 under the centralized authority of the Bankiga Dhexe ee Soomaaliya during the military government period, this note reflects Somalia's emphasis on national identity through bilingual and trilingual inscriptions spanning Somali, English, and Arabic. The architectural centerpiece—the Central Bank building in Mogadishu—symbolized institutional modernity and financial sovereignty, while the reverse's cattle herds acknowledged the nation's pastoral heritage and pastoral economy. This 1978 vintage represents a period of relative stability before the political fragmentation that would characterize Somalia in subsequent decades.
The obverse features the Central Bank of Somalia's main building in Mogadishu as the dominant architectural centerpiece—a two-story colonial-style structure with characteristic arched windows, balcony, and decorative flanking trees. The building is positioned centrally and framed by the national coat of arms (featuring a five-pointed star and floral/leaf motifs) positioned on the left side. The entire design is enclosed within ornate geometric and guilloche borders rendered in pink, brown, black, and cream tones. The reverse depicts a pastoral landscape scene central to Somali identity: a herd of 15-20 cattle grazing in an arid environment with sparse vegetation and a watering hole, flanked by ornate decorative medallions featuring intricate spiral and fan-like patterns in complementary pink, blue, and orange accents. Both sides emphasize the nation's dual identity as a modern financial center (the bank building) and pastoral society (the livestock scene).
FRONT SIDE: 'BANKIGA DHEXE EE SOOMAALIYA' (Central Bank of Somalia); '20 SHILIN' / 'SHILLIN 20 SOOMAALI' (20 Somali Shillings); 'XEER MJDS 6DII DISEMBAR 1972 LR74' (Law of 6th December 1972 LR74); 'TALIYAHA' (Governor); 'LACAGHAYAHA' (Treasurer); 'MUQDISHO 1978' (Mogadishu 1978); Serial number 'T017' / '128402'. BACK SIDE: 'CENTRAL BANK OF SOMALIA' (English); 'البنك المركزي الصومالي' (Arabic: Central Bank of Somalia); '20' and 'SOMALI SHILLINGS' (English); '20 SHILIN SOOMAALI' (Somali: 20 Somali Shillings).
Intaglio engraving (copperplate/steel plate printing), evidenced by the fine line work, complex guilloche patterns, ornate decorative borders, and the characteristic depth and precision visible throughout both obverse and reverse. The multi-color application indicates polychromatic intaglio printing with hand-engraved security elements. While the specific security printer is not definitively documented in readily available sources for this Pick number, Somali notes of this era were typically produced by established European security printers; the quality and style suggest professional central bank production standards of the late 1970s.
Based on PMG population reports, this Pick number (P-23) has been catalogued with at least two variants: P-23a and P-23s, likely representing standard and specimen versions respectively. The observed note shows signature block positions consistent with regular circulation issues. The serial number prefix 'T017' and serial number '128402' are consistent with standard production; no overprints, color variations, or other distinguishing features beyond the standard design are evident from the visual analysis. The specimen note designation (P-23s) may represent notes with specimen overprints or punch holes, distinguishing them from regular issued circulation notes (P-23a).
