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A Brief History of Guinea Bissau
Guinea-Bissau is a former Portuguese colony on the coast of Western Africa, bordered by Senegal and Guinea. Its capital is Bissau.

Portuguese Colonisation
The territory of what is now Guinea-Bissau was once part of the Gabu Kingdom and the Mali Empire. From 1450 Onwards, Portuguese traders began to arrive in the area, and gradually expanded their holdings. From the 16th until the early 19th Centuries, Portuguese Guinea became a centre of slave trading. Millions of dehumanised men, women and children were carried off in chains from the port of Cacheu to a new life of tears, hardship and brutality before this despicable trade was finally suppressed by the West Africa Squadron of the Royal Navy during the 19th Century.

Inland Conquest
Portugal was initially content to confine itself to the coastline, founding fortified settlements such as Bissau and Cacheu in which to trade with tribal chieftains. However, the ending of the slave trade also meant the end of what had been a mutually profitable relationship between the chieftains and the Portuguese. This, plus the Portuguese hunger for other resources and competition with other European powers for territory drove the Portuguese further into the interior during the 19th Century and into conflict with the local tribes. The interior of Portuguese Guinea was finally subdued by the 1930s.

Independence
The post-war 'Winds of Change' blowing through Africa did not seem to faze the Estado Novo regime in Portugal, which was determined to hold on to its colonies in Africa and elsewhere at all costs, even as other European powers were working towards decolonisation. In 1956, Amilcar Cabral a local agricultural engineer founded the 'Partido Africano da Independencia da Guine e Cabo Verde' (African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde). This party, known as PAIGC, initially campaigned peacefully for independence, but turned to violence in 1961, setting up guerrilla units covertly supported and sheltered by neighbouring Senegal and Guinea, both of whom had recently gained independence from France.
PAIGC rapidly gained control of most of the areas outside of the major towns and cities, but the war dragged on until 1974, when the Carnation Revolution in Lisbon brought down the Estado Novo regime and negotiations where commenced to withdraw Portuguese troops.

Post-Independence
Luis Cabral, brother of Amilcar Cabral (who had been assassinated in Conakry the previous year) became the first president of Guinea-Bissau, which had been renamed as such to avoid confusion with neighbouring Guinea. Cabral went on to govern as president until 1980, when a military coup deposed him and forced him into exile.
Prime Minister Joao Vieira subsequently took over until he too was overthrown in 1999. Vieira later returned as a democratically elected president in 2005, but was shot and then hacked to death by vengeful soldiers shortly after a bomb blast had killed General Batista Tagme Na Waie, a rival of his in 2009. In subsequent months, several other senior politicians serving with Vieira were also shot dead by government troops. At the time of writing (February 2012) Raimundo Pereira is serving as an interim president following the death of Malam Bacai Sanha the previous month.

Coinage of Guinea-Bissau
The Portuguese Guinean real was the official currency of Portuguese Guinea until 1914. However, this was equivalent to the Portuguese real, and issued in banknote form only. Portuguese coins were used for everyday transactions. Portuguese Guinea followed Portugal in adopting the Escudo in 1914, and issues specific to Portuguese guinea were introduced from 1933. Coins of 5, 10, 20, 50 centavos and 1 escudo were issued initially, and 2.5, 10 and 20 escudos added in 1952. Shortly before independence, a short lived 5 escudo coin was issued in 1973.
Upon independence, the Peso was issued to replace the escudo at par. This was also subdivided into 100 centavos. In 1997, Guinea-Bissau elected to join the Western CFA franc, the only non-former French colony, apart from Equatorial Guinea (a former Spanish Colony) to do so.

For Sale and Wanted
If you are interested in coins from Guinea Bissau please see our product index:-
Guinea Bissau Coins

Guinea Bissau Gold Coins


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