Catalog
1 Rupee - George V
| Issuer | East African Currency Board |
|---|---|
| Year | 1920 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Rupee |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Printer | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | THE EAST AFRICAN CURRENCY BOARD ONE RUPEE THESE NOTES ARE LEGAL TENDER FOR THE PAYMENT OF ANY AMOUNT MOMBASA MEMBERS OF THE EAST AFRICAN CURRENCY BOARD |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | ONE RUPEE ONE RUPEE |
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| Comments |
The East African Currency Board was established in 1919 specifically to create a unified currency across British East Africa, replacing the Indian rupee that had circulated in the region for decades. This 1920 note is among the earliest issues under that mandate — the board had barely found its administrative footing when these were printed.
De La Rue's involvement here is unsurprising; they held the dominant position in colonial currency printing throughout this period. What is worth noting is how short-lived the rupee denomination proved: the board switched to a florin-based system in 1921, then moved to the shilling standard in 1922, making the entire rupee series effectively obsolete within two years of issue.