1 Pice Silver

The British East Africa Company received its Royal Charter in September 1888, and this piece belongs to the earliest coinage it produced for the territories it administered. The "Pn1" reference designation indicates this is cataloged as a pattern rather than a circulating issue — the silver striking almost certainly a presentation or trial piece, since the company's circulating pice were struck in copper.

Whether this was produced to demonstrate the proposed design to Company directors or submitted for Colonial Office approval is unresolved. Patterns of this type rarely left London.