Banknotes of the East African Shilling History

The East African Shilling has a rich history, and its banknotes are a fascinating aspect of that story. Introduced in 1921, the East African Shilling was the official currency of several East African territories, including Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

The first banknotes of the East African Shilling were issued in 1922 by the Currency Board of the East Africa Protectorate. These early notes featured a portrait of King George V.

The design of the banknotes changed over the years, with new notes being introduced in 1938 and 1950. These later notes featured a portrait of King George VI and then Queen Elizabeth II, respectively.

In 1964, the East African Shilling was replaced by the Kenyan Shilling, Ugandan Shilling, and Tanzanian Shilling, marking the end of the East African currency union.

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The date ranges for the 1938-52 issue of the East African shilling banknotes are quite varied.

The earliest printing date mentioned is January 8, 1942, which applies to the 5 shillings (P28A) and 10 shillings (P29A) banknotes.

The 100 shillings (P31) banknote has a printing date range of 1938-1951.

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In 1921, a series of banknotes were issued with unique characteristics. The 5 shillings note featured a portrait of George V at the upper or lower right.

These notes had a range of values, from 5 shillings to 500 pounds. The 10 shillings note, for example, had a blue-black on green and pink underprinting.

The notes also had different catalog numbers, such as P13 for the 5 shillings note and P14 for the 10 shillings note. The 20 shillings and 1 pound note had a blue-black on yellow and orange underprinting.

The notes were printed in December 1921, with the 5 shillings note being printed on December 15, 1921. The 200 shillings and 10 pounds note had a blue-black on gray-blue underprinting.

The 1000 shillings and 50 pounds note had a blue-black on light brown underprinting. The 10,000 shillings and 500 pounds note had a blue-black on blue underprinting.

Here are the catalog numbers and corresponding values for some of the notes:

The 1953 date range is a significant one, marking the beginning of a new era in currency design. This period saw the introduction of the portrait of Elizabeth II on the 5 shilling banknote.

The 5 shilling banknote, specifically, featured a portrait of Elizabeth II on the upper or lower right side, printed in blue-black on light brown underprinting. This design was used from March 31, 1953, to October 1, 1957.

The 10 shilling banknote, on the other hand, was printed in blue-black on green and pink underprinting, without any notable design features related to Elizabeth II. This design was also used during the same time period as the 5 shilling banknote.

Some of the key dates to note during this period include:

The 20 shilling / 1 pound banknote was also printed during this time, featuring blue-black on yellow and orange underprinting, and was only in circulation until February 1, 1956.

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The 1938-52 issue is a fascinating period in banknote history. This range saw the introduction of new designs and security features.

One notable aspect of this period is the variety of denominations that were introduced. The 1 shilling, 5 shillings, 10 shillings, 20 shillings, 100 shillings, and 10,000 shillings banknotes were all part of this range.

The 1 shilling banknote, for example, featured a portrait of George VI at the upper or lower left, with a lion in front of a mountain on the back. It was printed in blue-black on purple underprinting, with a date of printing of January 1, 1943.

Here is a breakdown of the denominations and their corresponding catalog numbers:

The 5 shilling banknote, cataloged as P28, was printed in blue-black on brown underprinting, with a date of printing of 1938-1952. However, there was also a variant, P28A, which was printed with an India-style serial number and without an imprint, with a date of printing of January 8, 1942.

The 1958-60 issue is a fascinating period in the history of banknotes. This issue features a range of denominations, including 5 shillings, 10 shillings, 20 shillings, and 100 shillings.

Each of these denominations has a unique description. The 5 shillings note, for example, features a brown color on multicolor underprinting and is cataloged as P37. The 10 shillings note is cataloged as P38 and has a green color on multicolor underprinting.

The 20 shillings note, cataloged as P39, has a blue color on multicolor underprinting. The 100 shillings note, cataloged as P40, has a red color on multicolor underprinting.

Here's a quick summary of the denominations from this issue:

The 1958-60 issue also features a portrait of Elizabeth II on the upper or lower right corner of the 5 shillings note.

The note design of the East African shilling was quite straightforward, with the obverse featuring the phrase "EAST AFRICAN CURRENCY BOARD" prominently displayed.

The lettering on the note was clear and easy to read, with the denomination "TWENTY SHILLINGS SHILINGI ISHIRINI" written in a straightforward manner.

The note also specified that it was "LEGAL TENDER FOR TWENTY SHILLINGS", indicating its official status as a valid form of currency.

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A 10,000-shilling/500-pound note issued by the East African Currency Board on Dec. 15, 1921, sold for $110,995 at Spink's world paper money sale in London on Oct. 2, 2019.

This note was described as a discovery note, known only as a proof or specimen, prior to the sale. It was graded Choice Very Fine 35 by Paper Money Guarantee and smashed through its estimated selling price of £30,000 to £40,000 ($38,250 to $51,000).

Another identical note, also graded Choice Very Fine by PMG, sold for $63,000 at the Sept. 18 Heritage auction in Dallas. It was described as "only the second example graded in the PMG Population Report, and only the second instance of this type offered in public auction."

The difference in sales price highlights the significance of the number of known examples of a note. The Spink note was the first known example in issued format, while the Heritage note was the third known example, according to the PMG census.

The PMG census reported that, as of the end of September, three 10,000-shilling notes were known, all in Very Fine 35.

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The obverse side of a note is where you'll find the main design elements. It's the front of the note, and it's where the most important information is displayed.

The lettering on the obverse side can be quite detailed, as seen on the East African Currency Board note, which features the words "EAST AFRICAN CURRENCY BOARD" prominently.

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