Commonwealth of Liberia (1824-1847), Republic of Liberia (1847-present)
Territory Administered by the American Colonization Society (1824-1847), Independent Country (1847-present)
Location: West Africa
Capital City: Monrovia
Government type: American Territory (1824-1847), Republic (1847-present)
Main languages: English, Kpelle, Bassa, Vai, Kru
Main religions: Protestant Christianity, Sunni Islam
Chronology
1821: American Colonization Society establishes first settlement at Cape Mesurado
1824: Colony of Liberia created from existing settlements
1842: Remaining separate colonies (except Maryland-in-Africa) incorporated into Liberia
1847: Independence declared
1857: Maryland-in-Africa, at the time an independent republic, incorporated into Liberia
1862: Independence recognized by the United States
1989-1997: First Liberian Civil War
1999-2003: Second Liberian Civil War
Currency
First Dollar (1833-1906)
1 Dollar = 100 Cents
Second Dollar (1943-present)
1 Dollar = 100 Cents
Note: Liberia used the British West Africa Pound between 1907 and 1935, and the US Dollar from 1935 to 1943, but starting in 1937, Liberia issued its own coins which circulated alongside American currency and continued to be used after the new Liberian dollar was introduced in 1943.
Coins from Liberia in the collection
Republic (1847-present)
•1 Cent, 1847 (copper, W.J. Taylor (London), KM#1)
•1 Cent, 1896 (bronze, Heaton Mint (Birmingham), KM#5)
•1/2 Cent, 1941 (cupronickel, Philadelphia mint, KM#10a)
•1 Cent, 1961 (brass, Philadelphia mint, KM#13)
•5 Cent, 1960 (cupronickel, Philadelphia mint, KM#14)
•5 Cent, 2000 (aluminum, KM#474) Commemorative: Year of the Dragon
•10 Cent, 1978 (cupronickel, Franklin Mint (Wawa, PA), KM#15a.2, proof)
•10 Cent, 1979 (cupronickel, Franklin Mint (Wawa, PA), KM#15b) Commemorative: OAU Meeting, Monrovia 1979
•25 Cent, 1978 (cupronickel, Franklin Mint (Wawa, PA), KM#39, proof) Commemorative: FAO
•50 Cent, 1978 (cupronickel, Franklin Mint (Wawa, PA), KM#31, proof)
•1 Dollar, 1978 (cupronickel, Franklin Mint (Wawa, PA), KM#32, proof)
•1 Dollar, 1993 (cupronickel, Pobjoy Mint (Tadworth), KM#101) Commemorative: Baseball Hall of Fame (Nolan Ryan)
•5 Dollar, 2022 (nickel-plated steel, Llantrisant mint, KM#1083)
•10 Dollar, 2001 (cupronickel, American Mint (Mechanicsburg, PA), KM#830) Commemorative: George W. Bush
•10 Dollar, 2022 (nickel-plated steel, Llantrisant mint, KM#1084)
Banknotes from Liberia in the collection
Republic (1847-present)
•5 Dollar, 2011 (P#26)
•10 Dollar, 2004 (P#27)
•10 Dollar, 2011 (P#27)
•20 Dollar, 2004 (P#28)
•50 Dollar, 2011 (P#29)
•100 Dollar, 2011 (P#30)