5 Thebe reeded edge


Bronze (97% Copper, 2.5% Zinc, 0.5% Tin)	2.7 g	19.5 mm

Description

Issuer	Botswana
Period	Republic (1966-date)
Type	Standard circulation coin
Years	1976-1989
Value	5 Thebe (0.05&nbspBWP)
Currency	Pula (1976-date)
Composition	Bronze (97% Copper, 2.5% Zinc, 0.5% Tin)
Weight	2.7 g
Diameter	19.5 mm
Thickness	1.27 mm
Shape	Round
Technique	Milled
Orientation	Medal alignment ↑↑
Demonetized	1 July 2014
Updated	2024-10-04

References

Numista	N#1047
Rarity index	8%

Reverse

Red-billed hornbill left (Tockus erythrorhynchus), denomination at top. It is a complex of species occasionnaly split into 5 species, one of which, present in Botswana, is T. damarensis.

Script: Latin

Lettering:
5
THEBE

Engraver: Michael Hibbit

Edge

Reeded

Comment

What does the word "Pula" mean? Pula literally means "rain" in Tswana language, because rain is very scarce in Botswana (most of the surface of Kalahari Desert is situated here) and therefore valuable and a blessing. The word also is the national motto of the country.

What does the word "Ipelegeng" mean? The word "Ipelegeng" literally means "to carry your own weight" or "to be self sufficient or independent", in general has got different meanings in Tswana language. Ipelegeng is also a South African city and a Botswana program created for reducing the poverty in the country.

Of the coins dated 1976, 800,000 were minted in 1975 and 2,203,000 were minted in 1976.

Interesting fact

One interesting fact about the 5 Thebe coin from Botswana is that it features a unique reeded edge, which was a distinctive feature of the coin's design during its production period from 1976 to 1989.

Price

Date	Mintage	VG	F	VF	XF	AU	UNC
1976	16742	-	-	-	-	-	-
1977	250000	-	-	-	-	-	-
1979	200000	-	-	-	-	-	-
1980	1000000	-	-	-	-	-	-
1981	10000	-	-	-	-	-	-
1984	2000000	-	-	-	-	-	-
1988		-	-	-	-	-	-
1989		-	-	-	-	-	-

Values in the table are based on evaluations by sales realized on Internet platforms. They serve as an indication only for 5 Thebe (reeded edge) 1976-1989 coin.