2021-06-25 Fri

This one-cent coin was minted in 1907 when East Africa was a Protectorate under the British Crown. This was the first ‘in circulation Aluminium coin of the world.

This aluminum coin’s obverse consists of a climber-like design on both sides of the central hole with the non-continuous legend “Edward VII King and Emperor” with a crown in the middle and the denomination below within the toothed rim. On the reverse, the elephant trunks intersecting each other at the bottom and denomination above the hole within a circle. A continuous legend “East Africa and Uganda Protectorate” and the date at the bottom are seen within the toothed rim.

It was again issued in 1908, but it was later replaced by copper-nickel. However, this version of currency was abolished in 1920 after Kenya became a Crown Colony and the east African Board of Currency was established. Aluminum coins are frowned on by many Western countries but yet are used by many others such as Italy, Romania, Hungry, and Korea, even in India but for lower denomination issues.

Image Courtesy: colnect.com