The early currency, including the rix dollar and stiver denominations, played a significant role in the early economic development of our country. South Africa later used the British pound sterling as its currency until 1961, when the rand was introduced.
The “big five” theme was adopted after the unbanning of political parties and the release of political prisoners, reflecting what was considered as a design that would be acceptable to all South Africans. The currency was last upgraded in 2005 when enhanced security features on the “Big Five” banknote series were added.