Summary

Proof 50 Cents, Issued by, East African Currency Board, British Colony of Kenya (British East Africa), 1954
Minted by Royal Mint, London
This coin was also used in Uganda and Tanganyka

Obverse Description

Crowned bust of the Queen facing right, around, QUEEN ELIZABETH THE SECOND; artist's initials, CT, incuse on bust truncation

Reverse Description

Within a partial line circle which ends in leaves either side of the denomination, a lion advancing to right with a tall pointed mountain in the background; in exergue in two lines, 50 / 1954; around above, EAST AFRICA; around divided by date, FIFTY CENTS HALF SHILLING

Edge Description

Milled

Significance

The rupee of British India had come to be the coinage standard of the Protectorate of East Africa and Uganda (largely because it was used to pay Indian workers on the Kenya-Uganda Railway). In 1920 the East African Protectorate became the Colony of Kenya and the East Africa Currency Board was set up. It introduced a new decimal system based on 100 cents to one East African Florin in 1920, abandoning the old rupee system. This was very short lived, on 1 May 1921 it was replaced by a system based on 100 cents to 1 East African Shilling. This system was expanded on 1 January 1922 to be the official Currency of Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyka.

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