The word "cedi" comes from the Akan word "sidi," which means porcelain-like cowry shells, once used as currency on the Gold Coast. 

The porcelain-like shells first reached West Africa in the 14th century through  Arab merchants. 

Cowries were used as a medium of exchange of goods and services alongside coins and gold dust until 1901 when the first modern coins manufactured solely for the Gold Coast were introduced.

The Ghanaian pound was the new republic’s first post-independence medium of exchange from 1958 to 1965. 

After Ghana gained independence, it discontinued the use of the British West African pound, which was the currency of some British colonies. 

In July 1965, Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President introduced cedi notes and pesewa coins in place of  the Ghanaian pounds, shillings, and pence. 

After the February 1966 military coup, the anti-Nkrumah wave introduced the new cedi, which circulated from 1967 to 2007. 

In 2007, under the leadership of former President John  Agyekum Kufuor , it took six months for the new notes and coins (the Ghana cedi) to replace the existing ones.

The Bank of Ghana has been in charge of issuing all Ghanaian currency since 1958.

Today , Ghana is celebrating 60th anniversary of the cedis.

The Cedi@60 anniversary is a celebration of six decades of monetary sovereignty, history and the pride of Ghana’s financial and cultural identity.