Coin of the Week: 1971 Indonesia 50 Rupiah

Obverse (Coin Denomination)

Reverse (Image: Greater Bird of Paradise)

The currency of the Republic of Indonesia is the rupiah. The rupiah is divided into 100 sen, although inflation has made all coins and banknotes denominated in sen obsolete. The rupiah was first introduced in 1946, replacing the Japanese gulden that had been introduced during their occupation of the Indonesian islands in the Second World War. However, the rupiah still competed with the Dutch NICA (Netherlands Indies Civil Administration) gulden and other forms of currency until Indonesia's independence was recognized in 1949 and the Bank of Indonesia was established at the end of 1951. More about the various forms of currency during Indonesia's colonial and occupational periods can be found here.

Coins were first introduced in 1951 in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 sen. Due to extremely high inflation, coins were no longer issued between 1961 and 1971. Once inflation was under control again, new coins were introduced in 1971 using the rupiah. The designs were fairly simple, with the obverse featuring the Bank of Indonesia, denomination and year of issue. The reverse of the 50 rupiah piece depicts the Greater Bird of Paradise, a native bird of Indonesia. The Swedish botanist and zoologist Carl Linnaeus named the species "legless bird of paradise" because natives prepared the birds without feet when trading them with Europeans.