All about the money: Modern African currencies no longer in use

Photo: Banknote Index

Guinean syli

Between 1971 and 1985, Guinea used the Syli (meaning elephant). It was subdivided into 100 cauris (shells, formerly used as currency).   The syli was available in banknotes and coins.  The first set of banknotes were launched in 1971 in denominations of 10, 25, 50 and 100 sylis, and the second set was printed in 1980, featuring different colours and additional denominations of 1, 2, 5 and 500 sylis.

RELATED STORIES

Nnamdi Azikiwe, from stowaway to Nigeria's first president and African nationalist

5 historic times African countries attempted to merge but failed

Moses Fleetwood Walker, first black player to break colour barrier in baseball decades before Jackie Robinson

How the Yoruba people celebrated mothers centuries ago

Coins were available in  50 cauris, 1, 2 and 5 sylis.

In 1985, the syli was replaced by the Guinean Franc.