Crisis Currency

Many different forms of currency fall under the headings “Coins of Necessity,” “Emergency Money,” “Military Currency,” and “Siege Money.” Most refer to crudely made tokens or chits that have a connection to some specific war or battle.

What is a Siege?

A siege is a military tactic involving the blockade of a city or community in an attempt to conquer it by isolating it from outside supplies, food, water, and other necessities or external help. The attacker will often use this strategy against an enemy who refuses to surrender and cannot easily be defeated by other means. Variations of this approach are very ancient tactics and still used despite being widely condemned as an act of brutality and an international war crime.  

One of the first casualties of a siege is the lack of available funds to finance any external defense. Civilians routinely hoard whatever money they have, and it is often necessary for the military to issue promissory notes, chits, IOUs, or other forms of currency. Some are redeemed after the hostilities, while others simply vanish as casualties of war. The historical importance of these relics is what makes them so avidly relished by collectors.

The Siege of Mafeking

One such skirmish comes to mind for having not only a long and tragic history, but also an aftermath that has resulted in the creation of a legacy that continues to benefit incalculable others throughout the world.

This specific battle (technically a siege) took place during the Second Boer War (1899-1902) in the tiny town of Mafeking in South Africa. This siege began on October 13, 1899, and lasted for 217 days. Colonel Robert Baden-Powell led the defense against the Boers, who were descendants of the Dutch, German, and Huguenot settlers. This group was intent on establishing independent republics in what had been a British territory since 1806. 

The siege ended on May 17, 1900, when British soldiers under the command of Colonel B.T. Mahon defeated the enemies who had nearly succeeded in overwhelming the town. But it was Baden-Powell who deserved most of the credit for holding off the enemy during the battle. Under martial law, every Mafeking citizen was required to help defend the city. Even young boys were tasked with carrying messages between officers in the town. As the battle raged on, Mafeking was being bombarded daily.

Emergency Money to the Rescue

Supplies for the town soon ran short. One of the most important was the lack of funds to replenish food and military needs. As a remedy, the ever-resourceful Baden-Powell devised emergency or siege money from what he called the Mafeking Mint. Townsend & Son printed five denominations that were legally issued by the local army paymaster, Captain H. Greener, who wrote £5,228 in checks to the Standard Bank of South Africa, backing every issue of notes that could be exchanged for cash at the end of the siege. 

Of the five denominations, some seem to be unknown to collectors today. The most common are the 1-pound and 10-shilling notes. Baden-Powell took a special interest in the latter and personally drew the design that shows an image of himself and a Union Jack flying above a howitzer nicknamed “wolf,” with an armed man at left, a woman at right, and a sharpshooter at far right defending the siege line.

An error on some of the 10-shilling notes shows the word COMMANDING misspelled COMMANING and is one of the most desirable collectable issues. The corrected issue is perhaps the most common of an estimated 50 or more survivors of all denominations.

Conclusion

After the end of hostilities, Baden-Powell wrote a military training book Aids to Scouting that became a bestseller in Britain, and in 1908 a similar issue named Scouting for Boys quickly became a popular favorite for youngsters. Shortly thereafter, in 1910, his wife launched the Girl Guides movement. In 1922 he was officially named Lord Baden-Powell, and in 1922, Baron Baden-Powell. He soon became a legend best remembered today for his guidance in starting the Boy and Girl Scout worldwide movements.