Catalog
50 Cents Without legend
| Issuer | Central Bank of Kenya |
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| Year | 1966-1968 |
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| Currency | Shilling (1966-date) |
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| Obverse description | The Kenyan coat of arms is prominently displayed in the centre of the field, depicting two lions rampant as supporters flanking a traditional Maasai shield and crossed spears, with a cockerel atop the shield and a scroll at the base bearing the national motto HARAMBEE. The date is divided by the lower portion of the arms, with the two digits appearing on either side. The legend REPUBLIC OF KENYA arcs along the upper periphery, while the denomination 50 and FIFTY CENTS appear in bold relief along the lower periphery. |
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| Reverse description | A plain, unlegended truncated bust of Kenya's first President, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, faces left, rendered in fine relief against a smooth, unadorned field. The portrait captures Kenyatta in a suit and open-collar shirt, with his characteristic short beard and natural hair, conveying a dignified and statesmanlike presence. No inscriptions, legends, or exergual text appear on this side, giving the effigy an austere and commanding quality. |
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| Additional information |
Kenya's first coinage series, issued beginning in 1966, replaced the East African Currency Board issues that had circulated across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania under British oversight. The decision to strike a distinctly Kenyan series followed independence in 1963 but was delayed several years while the Central Bank established its monetary framework. The short window of this type — superseded by 1969 — means total mintage across the three years was modest, though it circulated heavily in urban markets during a period of rapid post-colonial economic reorganization.