The Ghanaian cedi (/ˈsiːdiː/ SEE-dee) (currency sign: GH₵; currency code: GHS) is the unit of currency of Ghana. It is the fourth historical and only current legal tender in the Republic of Ghana. One cedi is divided into one hundred pesewas (Gp).[citation needed]
After independence Ghana separated itself from the British West African pound, which was the currency of the British colonies in the region. The new republic’s first independent currency was the Ghanaian pound (1958-1965). In 1965, Ghana decided to leave the British colonial monetary system and adopt the widely accepted decimal system. The African name Cedi (1965-1967) was introduced in place of the old British pound system. Ghana’s first President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah introduced Cedi notes and Pesewa coins in July 1965 to replace the Ghanaian pounds, shillings and pence. The cedi bore the portrait of the President and was equivalent to eight shillings and four pence (8s 4d), i.e. one hundred old pence, so that 1 pesewa was equal to one penny.
After the February 1966 military coup, the new leaders wanted to remove the face of Nkrumah from the banknotes. The “new cedi” (1967–2007) was worth 1.2 cedis, which made it equal to half of a pound sterling (or ten shillings sterling) at its introduction. Decades of high inflation devalued the new cedi, so that in 2007 the largest of the “new cedi” banknotes, the 20,000 note, had a value of about US$2. The new cedi was gradually phased out in 2007 in favor of the “Ghana cedi” at an exchange rate of 1:10,000. By removing four digits, the Ghana cedi became the highest-denominated currency unit issued in Africa. It has since fallen to about 20% of its original purchasing power when the currency was redenominated.
GHS Coins
The Bank of Ghana has been issuing all Ghanaian coins since 1958. Beside the coins in general circulation the bank have also issued commemorative coins These special coins have been issued in shillings (1958), crowns (1965), pounds (1958-1977), sikas (1997-2003) and cedis (2013-). It is unclear if the Bank of Ghana considered commemorative crowns and sikas together with the commemorative pounds that were coined after 1965 as legal tender or simply as medallions.
Only coins that have been or are in general circulation are included in this list. The years of issue does not indicated that the series have been coined every year in the period but that the coin has been issued more than once in the stated period. Some coins are held back and released years after they are issued. This means that in the general circulation there are worn out coins and coins in mint condition from the same issuing year. The Bank of Ghana has never stated if they are simply holding back already stamped coins until they are needed or if they are stamping coins successively with old issue years.
The new coins are 1 pesewa (100 old cedi), 5 pesewas (500), 10 pesewas (1,000), 20 pesewas (2,000), 50 pesewas (5,000), 1 cedi (10,000) and 2 cedis (20,000).
GHS Banknotes
The Bank of Ghana has been issuing all Ghanaian banknotes since 1958. Most of the Ghanaian banknotes have been changed slightly from one year’s issue to the next year’s issue in the ongoing technological fight against counterfeit money. The signature on the notes also changes when a new governor takes over the management of the Bank of Ghana. Such changes are frequent and are not covered in this list. The years of issue do not indicate that the series has been printed every year in the period, but that the banknote has been issued more than once in the given period.