The only rectangle in circulation: Tonga’s 1979 1 pa’anga — an innovative (and awkward) rectangular coin with annually changing FAO reverses.
History
- The 1979 redesign made the 1 pa’anga rectangular — a unique experiment in circulating coinage, while the 2 pa’anga stayed round.
- Like its giant sibling, the rectangular pa’anga carried annually changing FAO reverses.
- The awkward shape lost to the 1 pa’anga note; production ended in the 1980s, though the coins were demonetized on 1 October 2015.
Key dates & varieties
- 1979 first year of the rectangular type; each year’s FAO reverse is a variety.
Specifications
- Rectangular — no other circulating coin of the era took this shape.
Collector notes
- Shape novelty is the whole game — this is collected as an oddity first, a coin second.
- Check the FAO legend and date on the reverse when assembling the annual run.