Japanese government-issued Oceanian Pound

The Japanese government-issued Oceanian Pound was one of several issues of Japanese invasion money used during World War II. Consisting of only four denominations, the Oceanian Pound was the shortest set (i.e., total number of denominations) issued.

Japanese government-issued Oceanian Pound
pound
Denominations
Subunit
1/20	shilling
Plural	pounds
shilling	shillings
Symbol	£
Banknotes	½ shilling, 1 shilling, 10 shillings, 1 pound
Coins	none
Demographics
User(s)	Gilbert and Ellice Islands Nauru  New Guinea British Solomon Islands South Seas Mandate
Issuance
Central bank	Japanese government
Valuation
Pegged with	Japanese Yen
This infobox shows the latest status before this currency was rendered obsolete.

The currency was issued in the occupied territories of Guam, Gilbert Islands and Ocean Island (Japanese occupation of the Gilbert Islands), Caroline Islands, Marianas Islands, Solomon Islands, Palau, and the now defunct Territory of New Guinea.[1] [2] Although officially called "Oceania" the region was considered a financial and currency union under Japanese colonial dominion that included several political jurisdictions rather than a single polity.

Issue

Common among most issues of Japanese invasion money,[3] the Oceania notes depict the title "The Japanese Government" rather than the name or region they were intended for. This is due to many of these currencies having been printed ahead of time and intended to circulate in more than one country in a given region intended to be absorbed into the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. As a result, many of them are considered temporary issues. The Oceanian series can be identified in two particular ways, one being the image of a palm-lined beach depicted on all denominations, and the "serial number" having two identifying letters printed on the obverse. The first letter “O” indicates the note was printed and issued for Oceania and is present on all Oceanian denominations[2] The second letter is the block (or printing batch) of the note. The two lower denomination notes (half-shilling and one shilling) were printed in three blocks (OA, OB, and OC). The two higher denomination notes (10 shillings and one pound) were only printed in a single block (OA).[2]

In August 1945 the Co-Prosperity Sphere was dissolved and the Oceanian Pound was abolished shortly after, with the old currency replaced by the Australian Pound or the US dollar depending on the territory.

1942 issue of Japanese invasion money (Oceania Pound)

Image	Value	Comment
	Half Shilling
	One Shilling
	Ten Shillings
	One Pound

Other Japanese Government-issued invasion currencies

• Japanese government-issued Philippine peso
• Japanese government-issued dollar in Malaya and Borneo
• Japanese government-issued rupee in Burma
• Japanese government-issued currency in the Netherlands Indies

Replica notes

Early in 1944 crude copies were being made and sold out of Sydney, with the word "replica" printed in small letters on the reverse. Authorities determined that since the notes were not legal tender in Australia (with or without the word "replica"), the practice was not illegal.[4] However the responsible party, a print shop in Brisbane, was cited for violating wartime regulations governing the rationing of paper, and shut down.[5] These replica notes trade for roughly ten times the prices commanded by the circulated notes.[2]

See also

• Japanese military yen
• List of territories occupied by Imperial Japan
• South Seas Mandate

References

1. "Japanese Invasion Currency: one shilling note". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 16 January 2015. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
2. Cuhaj, George S. (2010). Paper Money General Issues 1368–1960 (13 ed.). Krause Publications. p. 929. ISBN 978-1-4402-1293-2.
3. "Japanese Invasion Money". National Army Museum (New Zealand). Archived from the original on 15 January 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2015. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
4. Boling, Joseph; Schwan, Fred (2014). "Paper Money's Odd Couple – Souvenir Notes". Paper Money. Society of Paper Money Collectors. 53 (4): 291. External link in |publisher= (help)
5. Boling, Joseph; Schwan, Fred (2014). "Paper Money's Odd Couple – Souvenir Notes". Paper Money. Society of Paper Money Collectors. 53 (4): 292. External link in |publisher= (help)