Catalog
1 Shilling - George V
| Issuer | East African Currency Board |
|---|---|
| Year | 1921-1925 |
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| Weight | 7.78 g |
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| Obverse description | Crowned and draped effigy of King George V facing left, engraved by Bertram Mackennal, wearing the Imperial State Crown and military uniform with decorations visible at the shoulder. A fine beaded inner border frames the design, with the Latin legend arcing around the periphery reading GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP:, abbreviating his titles as King and Emperor of India. The initials B.M. appear below the truncation, identifying the engraver. The overall portrait is rendered in high relief with careful attention to the King's facial features, beard, and the ornate detailing of the crown. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | GEORGIVS V REX ET IND:IMP: B.M. (Translation: George V, King and Emperor of India) |
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| Additional information |
The East African Currency Board was established in 1919 specifically to manage a unified currency across British East Africa, replacing the earlier Indian rupee system that had caused persistent accounting headaches for colonial administrators. This shilling series was among the first issues under that arrangement, pegged at 20 shillings to the pound sterling rather than the old rupee conversion rates.
The low silver content — quarter fineness — was a deliberate policy decision, not a wartime compromise. Colonial monetary authorities consistently argued that full-silver coinage disappeared into hoarding and melting in East African markets, making a debased alloy more practical for actual circulation.