THEBE: COIN OF BOTSWANA
10 thebe, 2002: Republic of Botswana
10 THEBE.
Oryx gazella.
BOTSWANA IPELEGENG. Ipelegeng — Botswana public works program: state initiative meant to reduce poverty by creating needed employment opportunities.
Coat of arms of Botswana: shield (the shape of the shield is that of traditional shields of Southern Africa) is supported by two zebras; three cogwheels; three waves; the head of a bull; the motto of the nation "PULA", which means simply "rain", but also wish "good luck".
The coin has been minted in the same design since 1976, but the technical characteristics change from time to time: several types of coins of different sizes and using different alloys are known.
All Botswana thebe coins contain images of local African fauna.
- Nickel plated steel: 18 mm - 2.8 g
- Reference price: 1$
COIN THEBE — WHERE & WHEN (coins catalog: by names & emitents)
- REPUBLIC OF BOTSWANA (1976-...): thebe = 1/100 pula (in 1966, a gold non-circulating coin — 10 thebe — was issued)
The name of the thebe coin comes from the word "shield" in one of the two official languages of Botswana — the language of Tswana/Setswana (the other — English).
