Catalog
10 Florins / 1 Pound - George V
| Issuer | East African Currency Board |
|---|---|
| Year | 1920 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Printer | Bradbury Wilkinson and Company, United Kingdom (1856-1990) |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Oval portrait vignette of King George V at upper centre, set within an elaborate guilloche border with ornate scrollwork. The denomination is rendered in English, Arabic, and an East African script across the central band, flanked by numeral 10 panels on either side. Date and place of issue read 'Mombasa, 1st May, 1920' at lower left, with the members' signature panel of the East African Currency Board at lower right. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Watermark |
| Protection description | Log in to see details |
| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
The East African Currency Board was established in 1919 specifically to replace the Indian rupee as the region's monetary unit — a decision driven by London's postwar determination to sever East Africa's longstanding currency ties with India. The florin/pound dual denomination on this note reflects the transitional arithmetic of that switch: 10 florins equaled 1 pound at a rate designed to ease the rupee conversion without triggering a public crisis over unfamiliar values.
Bradbury Wilkinson produced the series at their New Malden works. The 1920 date places this note in the first year of issue, before the Board had established meaningful local reserves, when the entire currency system was essentially backed by London.