4 Shillings 1961, Bahamas
| in Krause book | Number: 13d |
| Years of issue: | 1961 |
| Edition: | 1 242 899 |
| Signatures: | Commissioner of Currency: Mr. George Higgs, Receiver General Commissioner of Currency: Mr. William Hart Sweeting, Commissioner of Currency: Mr. George W.K.Roberts |
| Serie: | 1953 Issue |
| Specimen of: | 1953 |
| Material: | Cotton fiber |
| Size (mm): | 153 х 84 |
| Printer: | TDLR (Thomas de la Rue & Company), London |
* All pictures marked 
are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.
** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.
Description
Watermark:
Avers:
HM The Queen Elizabeth II.
The first official photographic sitting with the new Queen was granted to the society photographer Dorothy Wilding. It took place on 26 February 1952, just twenty days after the accession. A total of fifty-nine photographs were taken by Wilding, showing The Queen dressed in a variety of gowns designed by Norman Hartnell and wearing jewellery including the Diamond Diadem. The photographs taken during this sitting were the basis of The Queen’s image on postage stamps from 1953 until 1971, as well as providing the official portrait of The Queen which was sent to every British embassy throughout the world. (Royal collection trust)
The Queen is wearing the George IV State Diadem. Made by Rundell, Bridge & Rundell (and likely designed by their designer, Philip Liebart) in 1820, the diadem features a set of 4 crosses pattée alternating with 4 bouquets of roses, thistles, and shamrocks. The motifs are set on a band of diamond scrollwork between two bands of pearls. Queen Alexandra had the diadem made smaller in 1902, reducing the top band of pearls from 86 to 81, and the bottom band from 94 to 88. The front cross is set with a 4 carat yellow diamond, and the piece features 1,333 diamonds in all. (Sartorial Splendor)
The necklace worn by The Queen, of diamond flowers and leaves, was a wedding present from Nizam of Hyderabad and Berar. The necklace was originally crafted in 1930s by Cartier. It was a wedding gift to Queen Elizabeth II, who was still a princess, on her wedding to Prince Philip from the Last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan in 1947. The Nizam of Hyderabad asked the Queen to choose two pieces from Cartier to mark her wedding, and she chose a tiara and a matching necklace based on an English rose.
The necklace was made by Cartier with 38 diamonds, with a diamond-encrusted snap. It has a detachable double-drop pendant, made of 13 emerald-cut diamonds and a pear-shaped drop, forms the pave-set center of the necklace. The design was based on English roses. 
Pair of pearl drop earrings, made circa 1947.
The pearls used to create these earrings were a wedding present to Princess Elizabeth in 1947 from the Sheikh of Bahrain. The diamonds used in the earrings use a variety of modern cuts. (A Royal Wedding 1947)
The second variety of this portrait, which appears on the notes of The Bahamas and Malta, was designed by Thomas De La Rue. It has less shading on the right cheek and The Queen's head does not have the tilt apparent in the Bradbury Wilkinson portrait. (Peter Symes)
On the left side is the old seal of Bahamas.
The Bahamian archipelago nation consists of 700 islands and located in the western Atlantic Ocean, stretches from the north - west to south - east over 800 km chain.
Although, in 1629 the island was captured by the British, then for more than one and a half centuries they had to fight for them with France and Spain, and some of the island became a haven of pirates. Only by 1718 the British defeated the pirates, and expelled them from the Bahamas. About these events resembled the first British colonial emblem, emerged at the turn of the XVII and XVIII centuries. The emblem shows the sailing ship under the British flag, chasing in the high seas for three pirate ships, surrounded by traditional English Coat of Arms and the garter with the Latin motto "Trade restored by the expulsion of pirates". Placed at the top of the British Crown and below - the band with the islands names. Since the mid- XIX century, this logo has been used as a badge of colonial flag.
In 1959, based on the emblem was created the first Bahamian flag in the shape of a shield. In the bottom of the previous figure was placed at the top - the crown , the motto was depicted on the tape under the shield . Coat of arms was also a new badge.
Revers:
On the left side is The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom. It is the official coat of arms of the British monarch. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion. Variants of the Royal Arms are used by other members of the Royal Family; and by the British government in connection with the administration and government of the country. In Scotland, the Queen has a separate version of the Royal Arms, a variant of which is used by the Scotland Office.
The shield is quartered, depicting in the first and fourth quarters the three passant guardant lions of England; in the second, the rampant lion and double tressure glory-counterflory of Scotland; and in the third, a harp for Ireland. The crest is a statant guardant lion wearing the imperial crown, himself on another representation of that crown. The dexter supporter is a likewise crowned English lion; the sinister, a Scottish unicorn. According to legend a free unicorn was considered a very dangerous beast; therefore the heraldic unicorn is chained, as were both supporting unicorns in the Royal coat of arms of Scotland. In the greenery below, a thistle, Tudor Rose and shamrock are present, representing Scotland, England and Ireland respectively.The coat features both the motto of English monarchs, Dieu et mon droit (God and my right), and the motto of the Order of the Garter, Honi soit qui mal y pense (shame upon him who thinks evil of it) on a representation of the Garter behind the shield.
Pattern and the denomination in the right.
Comments:
In 1919 was created the Monetary Council (Currency Board). In 1968 was established the Office of Bahamas Monetary Authority, obtained the right of money issue. At June 1, 1974 were established the Central Bank of the Bahamas, which were transferred to the functions of the abolished Office of Bahamas Monetary Authority.
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