100 Francs – New Hebrides

In 1966, the currency situation in the New Hebrides condominium was a unique and tangible reflection of the territory’s unusual Anglo-French joint administration. The archipelago did not issue its own independent currency. Instead, two separate official currencies circulated simultaneously and were legal tender: the Australian pound (A£) and the French Pacific franc (CFP franc). This dual-currency system was a direct consequence of the Condominium's "Pandemonium" structure, where two separate governmental systems operated in parallel, each with its own language, education, and economic linkages.

Practically, this meant businesses and individuals had to navigate daily transactions using either or both currencies, with exchange rates fluctuating based on supply and demand between the two European powers' monetary zones. The Australian pound was tied to the British sterling system and was dominant in the sectors and islands influenced by British missionaries and Australian trade. The CFP franc, pegged to the French franc, was prevalent in areas under stronger French commercial and administrative influence. This often led to complexity and inconvenience, requiring a working knowledge of two monetary systems.

This arrangement underscored the lack of a unified national economy and was symptomatic of the broader political fragmentation. It would remain in place until 1973, when, in a step toward simplification ahead of independence, the dual currencies were replaced by a single common currency of account, the New Hebrides franc, which was itself pegged to both the Australian dollar and the French franc. The 1966 system, therefore, stands as a notable historical example of a functioning, if cumbersome, bi-monetary economy under a shared sovereignty.