New money

Just in early May, the Bank of Namibia began releasing new Namibian dollar notes, and they’re getting a fair amount of attention and publicity!  Some say the money is prettier and more brightly colored.  Some say the notes feel different.  Some say they are less easily counterfeited, while others say they look fake.  Some say they just don’t like them.

(Left is front and right is back.  And top is old and bottom is new.)

And Kevin says only dead people should be featured on currency.

Hahaha, just kidding!  You know what we mean!

His Excellency Dr. Sam Nujoma, the country’s first president*, replaced Kaptein (Captain) Hendrik Witbooi, a pre-colonial war hero, on the 10’s and 20’s.  There is also at least one street in every Namibian town named after the former president, among other things.  And apparently the coastal town of Luderitz may even be renamed Nujoma Bay!  Sure Sam may be a Namibian hero for independence, but is he really the country’s only Founding Father?  At least according to the most prevalent presentations of Namibian history, the answer is pretty much just that.

Some colleagues asked Kevin and me who appears on American money.  We told them that former (dead) presidents and other prominent statesmen are depicted.  We also got a chuckle out of them by saying that Barack Obama is certainly not about to print new money with his face on it (or any other living former president for that matter).

*Note:  Namibia’s current president, Hifikepunye Pohamba, is only the country’s second.