Updated
September 28, 2003
Gambia Tourist Support
Collecting the Money
The Coin Collection
The face values given here are based on
£1 = 20Dalasi
1, 5 and 10 Butut coins are becoming rare but
GTS sells full packs of currency, with notes.
Money Matters
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As small as a UK ½ p (now no longer in circulation) and with a face value worth nothing, the 1 Butut is a collectors item and is very rare. This copper coin depicts the peanut on its reverse side.
This coin is now seldom found in circulation, it is about the size of a UK 1p copper coloured and is worth about 1/4 of a UK penny.
The reverse depicts a Gambian sailing barge that was used for transportation around the coast and up the river Gambia.
Unfortunately there are no known surviving examples of this type of craft in the Gambia.
'10 Bututs' coins are seldom found in circulation, it is about the size of a UK 10p and is worth about 1/2 of a UK penny.
Golden in colour, the reverse depicts a fowl ?
Larger than the 5 Bututs and smaller than the 10 Bututs this silver coin has a knurled rim and is worth 1ĵUK pennies.
It is still in general circulation but has little purchasing value.
The reverse depicts a Palm tree, species of which are found everywhere in the Gambia
A little larger than 10 Bututs but silver with a knurled rim, this coin is worth about 2½ UK pennies.
The reverse depicts the Cattle found all over the Gambia, during the dry season when the crops have been harvested these animals can be seen roaming freely looking for anything to eat. We have often seen them eating the orange skins after the pressers have removed the juice.
The 1 Dalasi coin comes in 2 varieties. The older version is slightly larger than the 50 Bututs and the newer one slightly smaller, both have the shape of the UK 50p and both are in common circulation.
The older one is shown here depicting a crocodile on the reverse. Crocodiles are sacred and there are a number of pools where visitors can see the crocs basking at close quarters.
(See Katchikali in Bakau)
Fairly tame and approachable here, crocs along the Gambia river are wild and dangerous.
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