The tālā is the

currency A currency is a standardization of money in any form, in use or circulation as a medium of exchange, for example banknotes and coins. A more general definition is that a currency is a ''system of money'' in common use within a specific envi ...

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and known until 1997 as Western Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu), two smaller, inhabited ...

. It is divided into 100 ''sene''. The terms ''tālā'' and ''sene'' are

cognate In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymological ancestor in a common parent language. Because language change can have radical effects on both the s ...

s of the English words ''

dollar Dollar is the name of more than 25 currencies. The United States dollar, named after the international currency known as the Spanish dollar, was established in 1792 and is the first so named that still survives. Others include the Australian d ...

'' and '' cent'' in the

Samoan language Samoan ( or , ) is a Polynesian languages, Polynesian language spoken by Samoans of the Samoan Islands. Administratively, the islands are split between the sovereign country of Samoa and the Unincorporated territories of the United States, Unit ...

. Its symbol is $, or ''WS$'' to distinguish it from other currencies named ''dollar''. The word 'tala' is also derived from the German word '

Thaler A thaler or taler ( ; , previously spelled ) is one of the large silver coins minted in the states and territories of the Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg monarchy during the Early Modern period. A ''thaler'' size silver coin has a diameter o ...

', and pronounced the same. The tālā was introduced on 10 July 1967, following the country's political independence from

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

in 1962. Until that time, Samoa had used the pound, with coins from New Zealand and its own banknotes. The tālā replaced the pound at a rate of 2 tālā = 1 pound and was, therefore, equal to the

New Zealand dollar The New Zealand dollar (; currency sign, sign: $; ISO 4217, code: NZD) is the official currency and legal tender of New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, the Ross Dependency, Tokelau, and a British territory, the Pitcairn Islands. Within New Zeal ...

. The tālā remained equal to the New Zealand dollar until 1975. The symbol WS$ is still used for the tālā, representing the country's previous name

Western Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and known until 1997 as Western Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu), two smaller, inhabit ...

, used up to 1997, when the word ''Western'' was officially removed and the country became known as just ''Samoa''. Therefore, the symbol SAT,Samoa Realty Ltd - Lands For Sale
/ref> ST and T appear to be in use as well. Sometimes figures are written with the dollar sign in front, followed by "tālā". e.g. $100 tālā.:: THE CENTRAL BANK OF SAMOA , Currency , Collector's Currency , Index ::
/ref> The Samoan currency is issued and regulated by the

Central Bank of Samoa The Central Bank of Samoa (), situated in the capital Apia beside the main government buildings, issues the Samoan currency, the Samoan tala, Samoan tālā as well as regulates and manages the exchange rate with foreign currencies. In its role as ...

Coins

Prior to 1967, New Zealand coins were used in Western Samoa, circulating alongside locally issued and New Zealand banknotes. In 1967, five and a half years after independence, new coins and notes were introduced replacing the New Zealand Pound as the official currency. Coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 sene and $1 in equal size to the coins of

. 1 and 2 sene coins were struck in bronze, while the higher denominations were struck in cupro-nickel. All featured the national emblem on the reverse and the then Head of State Malietoa Tanumafili on the obverse. In 1974, a new coin series was introduced, designed by James Berry with a theme centred on locally grown food plants. The edges of the 50 sene coin were also changed from alternating plain and reeded to only reeded. In 1984, a seven-sided 1 tālā coin was introduced in aluminum bronze to replace the note. The coin depicted the state emblem on the reverse. Although $1 tālā pieces had been introduced in earlier years, this coin's bulky size and weight along with the favoured use of the equivalent banknote never saw to popular and widespread use. In 2000, a commemorative 2 Sene coin was released commemorating the 21st century with an

FAO The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; . (FAO) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition ...

theme. The 1974–2011 series featured as follows: *1 sene: Coconut *2 sene: Cocoa pods *5 sene: pineapple *10 sene: Taro plant *20 sene: Breadfruit *50 sene: Banana tree *$1 (1974): Palm tree *$1 (1984): National crest In 2011, the 1 and 2 and 5 sene coins were withdrawn from circulation as production costs exceeded production and their use in circulation had diminished significantly over the years. A new coin series was also introduced with reduced sizes and new shapes to reduce production costs and to reflect a more modern, streamlined Samoa. The new coins feature the then Head of State, Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi and are themed around local culture. The new coin series also includes a new scalloped edge $2 struck in bronze plated steel intended to replace the 2 Tala polymer banknote. The $1 is also struck in bronze plated steel and retains its original seven-sided shape but smaller. The reduced 5, 10, 20, and 50 sene are struck in nickel-plated steel. As Samoan coins are prone to heavy wear and use, the designs and composition were also studied and chosen with this in mind. The 2011-series depict as follows: *10 sene: Fautasi canoe racers *20 sene: Teuila flower *50 sene: Manumea bird *$1: Kava bowl and fly swatter *$2: National crest These coins have been struck at the Royal Australian Mint in

Canberra Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...

Treasury notes

Pound and shilling treasury notes were issued from 1920 to 1963 as the Western Samoan pound at par with the New Zealand pound. Banknotes of the

Western Samoa Trust Territory The Territory of Western Samoa was the civil administration of Western Samoa by New Zealand between 1920 and Samoan independence in 1962. In 1914, German Samoa was captured by the Samoa Expeditionary Force shortly after the outbreak of World ...

, now the Independent State of Samoa, were issued by the Authority of the New Zealand Government, which governed the islands up until 1962. In 1915, the first provisional notes (dated 1914, but issued 1915) were issued by the New Zealand Occupying Military force. These were overprinted one pound and five pound notes of the Bank of New Zealand signed by Lt. Colonel Logan and overprinted 10 shillings notes were added in 1920. In 1922, Treasury Notes were issued “by the authority of the New Zealand Government” in denominations of 10 shillings and one and five pounds. They were issued until 1961 when the Bank of Western Samoa took over paper money issuance. Its first issues were overprints on the Treasury Notes. In 1963, regular type notes were introduced in the same denominations.

Banknotes

After independence, finance was taken over by the new government and a new currency called the tālā was issued. Tālā banknotes were first issued in 1967 in denominations of $1, $2, and $10 by the "Bank of Western Samoa." In 1980, a $5 note was issued shortly after the "Monetary Board of Western Samoa" was created. Beginning in 1985, the new

followed issued notes like the preceding issue from the Monetary Board of Western Samoa, but with the new issuer's name in both Samoan and English. The $1 note was discontinued, and new denominations of $50 and $100 were issued in 1990. On 29 September 1991, a $2 note was issued to commemorate the Golden Jubilee (50th anniversary) of Malietoa Tanumafili II as head of state. It was the first and only fully polymer note issued by Samoa. These were withdrawn in 2011 and replaced with the 2-tālā coin. In 2008 a new series in denominations of $5 to $100 produced by

De La Rue De La Rue plc (, ) is a British company headquartered in Basingstoke, England, that produces secure digital and physical protections for goods, trade, and identities in 140 countries. It sells to governments, central banks, and businesses. Its ...

was introduced with brighter colours, new security features, and modern designs. The two highest denominations ($50 and $100) are protected with De La Rue's Optiks security thread which features a see-through window. Samoa issues new series
BanknoteNews.com. Retrieved 2011-09-13.

Exchange rate

References

External links