Catalog
500 Rupees
| Issuer | Government of the East Africa Protectorate |
|---|---|
| Year | 1905 |
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| Reference(s) | P#1F |
| Obverse description | Black letterpress note on plain paper, with the issuer's title in bold serif capitals within an ornate arched guilloche border at top. The denomination "FIVE HUNDRED RUPEES" is rendered in large letterpress text across the centre, flanked by numeral "500" panels on either side, below which appear parallel inscriptions in Arabic and an Indic script. The place and date of issue appear in script lettering at lower centre, with a manuscript signature to the right above the legend "FOR THE CURRENCY COMMISSIONERS" and the printer's imprint at the foot. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | THE GOVERNMENT OF THE EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE Promises to pay the Bearer on Demand the Sum of FIVE HUNDRED RUPEES Mombasa, 1st September 1905. FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE FOR THE CURRENCY COMMISSIONERS |
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| Comments |
The East Africa Protectorate currency notes of 1905 were among the earliest government-issued paper money for the region, predating the establishment of the East African Currency Board by nearly two decades. This 500 Rupee denomination was almost certainly a high-value instrument intended for inter-merchant or official government transactions rather than everyday exchange — the rupee remained the dominant unit of account in coastal East Africa through its longstanding trade connections with India and the Gulf.
Pick 1F is exceptionally rare in any condition. The series saw limited production runs, and surviving examples are poorly documented in auction records.