The syli was the currency of Guinea between 1971 and 1985. It was subdivided into 100 cauris. The Sosso word syli means "elephant", while cauri refers to the shells formerly used as currency. The syli replaced the Guinean franc at a rate of 1 syli = 10 francs.
Coins of 50 cauris, 1, 2 and 5 sylis were made of aluminium. Banknotes of the 1971 series were issued in denominations of 10, 25, 50 and 100 sylis. A second series of banknotes was issued in 1980, this time in different colours and with four additional denominations – 1, 2, 5 and 500 sylis notes.
The syli was replaced by the franc guinéen in 1985 at par.
Banknotes 1971 notesImage Value Main Colour Obverse Reverse Date of issue 10 sylis Brown Patrice Lumumba People with bananas1971 25 sylis Dark brown King Béhanzin of Dahomey Man and cows 50 sylis Green Alpha Yaya Diallo (King of Labé) Kinkon hydroelectric plant 100 sylis Violet Samori Ture Steam shovel and two dump trucks 1980 notes 1 syli Olive green Mafory Bangoura text "un syli" 1980 2 sylis Orange King Mohammed V of Morocco text "deux sylis" 5 sylis Blue Kwame Nkrumah People with bananas 10 sylis Red Patrice Lumumba People with bananas 25 sylis Dark gren King Behazin of Dahomey Man and cows 50 sylis Dark brown Alpha Yaya Diallo (King of Labé) Kinkon hydroelectric plant 100 sylis Blue Samori Ture Steam shovel and two dump trucks 500 sylis Dark brown Josip Broz Tito People's Palace, Conakry
References
Guinea at Infotech 2003