This is what the map of Africa looked like in 1914, on the eve of World War I. Great Britain possessed significant territories in the east, south, and slightly in the western part of the continent .
And here is a complete list of the British colonies and dominions for which their coins were issued in the first half of the 20th century and a little earlier:
British West Africa
By 1906, the formation of the "Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria" was completed, which included the Protectorate of the Niger Delta, part of the lands of the Royal Company of Niger and the Lagos colony. These territories were rich in minerals and were the most developed of the British possessions on the west coast of Africa. At the initiative of the Governor of Lagos, with the support of the Bank of British West Africa, founded in 1894, for circulation in these territories in 1907, the first circulation of coins took place. These were aluminum 1⁄10 pennies and copper-nickel pennies. The legend of NIGERIA is BRITISH WEST AFRICA.
KM # 1, 1⁄10 penny 1908, aluminum, 8.4 MM equivalent, years 1907, 1908
KM # 2, 1p 1908, copper-nickel alloy, 3.2 M equivalent, years 1907-1910
King Edward VII of Great Britain, reigned 1901-1910, lived 1841-1910
Aluminum coins did not last long, quickly lost their appearance, and in 1908 1⁄10 singing were already issued in copper-nickel, as well as pennies.
KM # 3, 1⁄10 penny 1908, copper-nickel alloy, 9.6 MMex. years of production 1908-1910
It should be noted that Great Britain, for circulation on the territory of the metropolis itself, has never used aluminum as a material for coins, and copper-nickel was first used only in 1947. And coins with a hole were issued by her only for their colonies.
On coins issued in 1911, the legend with the name of the state remained the same, but the throne name of the monarch on the obverse of the coin changed. George V. entered the British throne a year earlier. ½ pennies were added to the line of denominations.
KM # 4, 1⁄10 penny 1911, copper-nickel alloy, 7.2. MMex. single year of issue
King George V of Great Britain, reigned 1910-1936, lived 1865-1936
In 1912, the newly created Monetary Council of West Africa organized the issuance of coins for circulation now in all territories of the West African colonies and protectorates, which, in addition to the above Southern Nigeria, included Northern Nigeria, the Gambia, the Gold Coast (now Ghana) and Sierra Leone. The main reason for the issuance of special coins for circulation in these territories was the massive outflow of currency from the colonies back to Great Britain, and as a result, the current shortage of cash in the colonies. Newly issued coins were banned from use in England itself and had to remain in circulation locally.
KM # 7, 1⁄10 penny 1919, copper-nickel alloy, 912 thousand equivalent, production years 1912-1936
KM # 8, ½ penny 1934, copper-nickel alloy, 1.7 M equivalent, years 1912-1936
KM # 9, 1p 1935, copper-nickel alloy, 8.6M equivalent, years 1912-1936
Silver 3s, 6d, 1s and 2s were added to the pre-existing denominations.
KM # 12, 1 shilling 1917, silver 0.925, 15 million ex. years 1913-1920
In 1920, the issue of silver coins was discontinued, they were replaced by tin-brass alloy.
KM # 11b, 6p 1920, tin-brass alloy, 12M equivalent, production years 1920-1933
KM # 12a, 1 shilling 1922, tin-brass alloy, 32.3 million equivalent, production years 1920-1936
KM # 13b, 2 shillings 1925, tin-brass alloy, 3.7 million equivalent, production years 1920-1936
Coins for British West Africa were issued at the mints of Birmingham (Gaunt & Sons (G-J.R.), Heaton (H), King's Norton (K or KN)), Pretoria (SA) and London (b/b).
In January 1936, King George V dies. As it later became known, the monarch's personal life doctor, on his own initiative, injected him with a lethal dose of cocaine and morphine. By that time, the king was already in a coma from severe bronchitis.
The throne was inherited by the son of George V - Edward VIII.
King Edward VIII of Great Britain, years 1894-1972
Despite the fact that Edward VIII abdicated in December 1936, preferring a wedding with a divorced woman to the crown, coins indicating his throne name were ordered for some colonies, including the West African territories.
KM # 14, 1⁄10 penny 1936, copper-nickel alloy, 5.9 MMex. single year of manufacture
KM # 15, ½ penny 1936, copper-nickel alloy, 14.8 MMex. single year of manufacture
KM # 16, 1p 1936, copper-nickel alloy, 7.9M equivalent, single year of manufacture
After the abdication of his older brother, the British throne in turn passed to George VI.
King George VI of Great Britain, reigned 1936-1952, lived 1895-1952
The type of coins changed several times during his reign (1936-1952). Here is a line of coins of the first type, produced from 1937 to 1947.
KM # 20, 1⁄10 penny 1939, copper-nickel alloy, 9.8 MM equivalent, years 1938-1947
KM # 18, ½ penny 1937, copper-nickel alloy, 4.8 MM equivalent, years 1937-1947
KM # 19, 1p 1940, copper-nickel alloy, 3.8M equivalent, years 1937-1947
KM # 21, 3p 1938, copper-nickel alloy, 7M equivalent, years 1938-1947
KM # 22, 6p 1940, nickel brass alloy, 17.8M equivalent, years 1938-1947
KM # 23, 1 shilling 1942, nickel-brass alloy, 42 million ecz, production years 1938-1947
KM # 24, 2 shillings 1938, nickel-brass alloy, 32 million exes, production years 1938-1947
The currency of British West Africa was also used as legal tender in other countries of the region: in Liberia (until 1944), in Togo and Cameroon, after Britain received protectorate over them in 1914 and 1916.
Coins for British West Africa from 1953 to 1958 were issued with the profile of Elizabeth II, and from 1954 to 1965 all countries that went to this colony gained independence and switched to their own monetary units.
British East Africa
At the end of the 19th century, in eastern Africa, Britain owned the colonies of Kenya, Zanzibar, Uganda and British Somaliland. In 1895, these territories were merged into the East African Protectorate (or British East Africa). The main currency in East Africa at that time was the Indian rupee.
The first coins designed specifically for circulation in Kenya and Uganda had a face value of 1 paise, and were minted in 1897, in the last years of the reign of Queen Victoria.
Queen Victoria of Great Britain, reign 1837-1901, life 1819-1901
KM # 1, 1 paise 1898, bronze, 6.4 M ex, years 1897-1899
With the issue of "special coins," the circulation of the Indian rupee did not stop, but on the contrary, in 1905 it was recognized as quite legal tender throughout the protectorate.
In 1906, the Protectorate Government made a second "special" issue, which included coins in denominations from ½ to 50 cents with the legend EAST AFRICA&UGANDA PROTECTORATES for circulation in the Protectorate of Kenya and Uganda. It is noteworthy that as part of the line of coins of this issue, for the first time in world history, an aluminum coin was issued. It was the 1 cent of 1907. Despite the fact that 1 Indian rupee was equal to 64 paisas, and the composition of 1 East African rupee included 100 cents, both rupees continued to circulate in parallel, until 1920.
In 1909, the minting of coins from aluminum was stopped and the blanks for issuing coins in ½ and 1 cent were replaced with copper-nickel.
KM # 5a, 1 cent 1909, copper-nickel alloy, 25 M equivalent, years 1909, 1910
In 1911, coins were reissued in connection with the coronation of George V. The legend of the name of the state is the same as under Edward VII.
KM # 7, 1 cent 1912, copper-nickel alloy, 20 million equivalent, years 1911-1918
KM # 11, 5 cents 1913, copper-nickel alloy, 300 thousand equivalent, production years 1913-1919
KM # 8, 10 cents 1911, copper-nickel alloy, 1.3 M equivalent, years 1911-1918
KM # 10, 25 cents 1913, silver 0.800, 300 thousand copies, years 1912-1918
KM # 9, 50 cents 1911, silver 0.800, 150 thousand exes, production years 1911-1919
In December 1919, the Monetary Council of East Africa was created, which was given the right to issue coins for the protectorate.
In 1920, the status of the East African Protectorate was changed to colonial. The issue of coins with the new legend EAST AFRICA and the new name of the monetary unit - East African florin, which was supposed to replace the Indian and East African rupees in circulation in a ratio of 1:1, was also organized. The need to circulate a new unit was caused by the rising cost of silver after the First World War. As soon as the cost of the Indian rupee in circulation in the countries of British East Africa approached the cost of two British shillings, it was decided to replace it with florin. The rupee was about the same weight as the new florin, but its silver sample was almost 2 times higher.
Of the total circulation of small denominations of this year's issue in denominations of 1, 5, 10 cents, only 30% were in circulation, and 50 cents were not in circulation at all.
During the First World War, Great Britain seized the territory of the neighboring German colony of Tanganyika, and under the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 received a mandate to govern it. Thus, Tanganyika was also incorporated into British East Africa.
Already in 1921, florin was replaced as the main monetary unit by the East African shilling, exchanged for florin in a ratio of 2:1 and equated to the English shilling. The coins issued in this regard received new materials: 1, 5, 10 cents were issued on bronze blanks instead of copper-nickel, the senior denominations decreased from 500 to 250 and decreased weight.
KM # 22, 1 cent 1935, bronze, 10 M ex, years 1922-1935
KM # 18, 5 cents 1933, bronze, 5 million exes, years 1921-1936
KM # 19, 10 cents 1922, bronze, 7.1 MMex. production years 1921-1936
KM # 20, 50 cents 1924, silver 0.250, 1 million ex. years 1921-1924
KM # 21, 1 shilling 1925, silver 0.250, 28.4 M ex. years of issue 1921-1925
Initially, in 1921, the East African shilling was introduced in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, and in 1936 in the Sultanate of Zanzibar.
The Sultanate of Zanzibar became a British protectorate from 1890. Prior to this, the islands coastal to Tanganyika were ruled by a sultan from the Omani dynasty. There are no coins of the British Protectorate period of the 1906-1908 model in the collection. Here is a coin of the "Dobritan" period.
KM # 1, 1 paise 1882, copper, 4.6M equivalent, single year of manufacture
Just as for West Africa, in 1936 coins were issued for East Africa mentioning the throne name of King Edward VIII in denominations of 5 and 10 cents.
KM # 23, 5 cents 1936, bronze, 3.5 MMexe, single year of manufacture
KM # 24, 10 cents 1936, Bronze, 4.3 M ex, single year of manufacture
And finally, several coins from the line of the first type of the reign of George VI.
KM # 29, 1 cent 1942, bronze, 25 M ex, single year of manufacture
KM # 25, 5 cents 1942, bronze, 16 million copies, years 1937-1942
KM # 26, 10 cents 1937, bronze, 2 million exes, years 1937-1945
KM # 27, 50 cents 1937, silver 0.250, 4 M ex. years 1937-1944
KM # 28, 1 shilling 1937, silver 0.250, 7.7 M ex, years 1937-1944
Two more sets of coins of George VI and coins of Elizabeth II were not included in the review. In 1961-1964, all countries of the former British colony gained independence.
British East African money also circulated in the 40s in the territory of Ethiopia liberated from Italians and the former Italian colonies of Italian Somalia and Italian Eritrea.
Southern Rhodesia
British protectorate status was obtained by Rhodesia in 1889. These territories got their name in 1895 in honor of Cecil John Rhodes, a British industrialist who was engaged in the development of minerals under an agreement with local princes. Prior to this, the land north of the Limpopo River was called the Southern Zambezi. In 1923, the colony received dominion status within the British Empire.
From 1910 to 1939, coins of Great Britain were used for settlements in the protectorate, and from 1923 to 1933, also coins of the Union of South Africa (see below).
Only in 1932 the first issue of coins with the legend SOUTHERN RHODESIA (Southern Rhodesia) took place. The line of the first issue included coins in denominations of ½, 1, 3, 6 pennies, 1 and 2 shillings, ½ crowns.
KM # 6, ½ penny 1934, bronze, 240 thousand exes, production years 1934, 1936
KM # 7, 1 penny 1934, bronze, 360 thousand copies, years of manufacture 1934-1936
KM # 1, 3 pence 1932, silver 0.925. 688 thousand equivalent, years of manufacture 1932-1936
KM # 2, 6 pence 1936, silver 0.925. 675 thousand copies, years of issue 1932-1936
KM # 3, 1 shilling 1935, silver 0.925, 830 thousand.. copy, years of production 1932-1936
KM # 4, 2 shilling 1932, silver 0.925. 498 thousand copies, years of manufacture 1932-1936
In 1939, the Monetary Council of Southern Rhodesia was created to organize money circulation in Southern Rhodesia. The currency it issued was legal tender in Southern Rhodesia and neighboring Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland.
Unlike the previous two colonies, in 1936 in Southern Rhodesia they did not rush to issue coins indicating the name of the new King of Great Britain Edward VIII, only in 1937 the issue of George VI coins took place.
KM # 14, ½ penny 1938, copper-nickel alloy, 240 thousand equivalent, production years 1938, 1939
KM # 8, 1 penny 1937, copper-nickel alloy, 908 thousand equivalent, years of manufacture 1937-1942
The issue of coins of this type lasted until 1942, and then switched to bronze due to the outbreak of World War II and the increased needs for nickel.
KM # 14a, ½ penny 1943, bronze, 960 thousand exes, years of manufacture 1942-1944
KM # 8a, 1p 1943, bronze, 3.1 M ex. years 1942-1947
Silver coins of the first line were issued in 1937. From the coins of the following type, the minting period of 1939-1942, they are distinguished by the location of the inscription of the legend GEORG VI KING EMPEROR on the obverse and the size of the heraldic lilies on the crown. In those released in 1944-1946, the silver sample fell to 500, and since 1947 they generally switched to copper-nickel blanks when issuing coins of senior denominations .
KM # 9 , 3p 1937, silver 0.925, 1.2 M ex, single year of manufacture
KM # 13, 1/2 kroons 1937, silver 0.925, 1.2 M ex, single year of manufacture
KM # 16, 3p 1940, silver 0.925, 1.2 M ex. years 1939-1942
KM # 18, 1 shilling 1942, silver 0.925, 2.1 M ex. years 1939-1942
KM # 15, 1/2 kroons 1940, silver 0.925, 800 thousand exes, years of production 1938-1942
In 1953, Southern Rhodesia became part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, and in 1963 gained independence. In 1980, the former colonies of Southern and Northern Rhodesia, Nyasaland became known as the Republic of Zimbabwe.
Union of South Africa
Colonization of the southern coast of Africa was begun by the Dutch under Jan van Riebeeck in 1652. At the end of the 18th century, after the occupation of the Netherlands by Napoleon Bonaparte, Great Britain, fearing that the African colony of the Netherlands, rich in numerous minerals, would also be captured by France, decided to armed capture the Cape Colony, as these territories were then called. This was the first, but far from the last attempt by Great Britain to seize the territory of South Africa.
The confrontation with local white immigrants, mainly of Dutch and German origin, escalated in 1833, when Great Britain, under pressure from a progressive society, nevertheless abandoned slavery in its colonies. The colonists (Boers) did not support such a decision, and, obeying the military power of Great Britain, left the capital Cape Town and went inland inland, where they formed the Orange Republic and Transvaal. The British did not calm down on this, and continued to seize the territories equipped by the Boers and the mineral deposits they discovered. In 1880-1881, the First Boer War took place, in which the British were defeated.
Everything changed in 1885, when the largest gold deposit was discovered in Witwatersrand. The agrarian country is becoming the largest producer of raw materials, precious stones and non-ferrous metals .
President of the Republic of South Africa (Transvaal) Paul Kruger, reign 1880-1900, life 1825-1904
In 1892, President of the Republic of South Africa (Transvaal) Paul Kruger announced the construction of a mint in Pretoria and the beginning of the issuance of the Republic's own coins. The first issue of coins was nevertheless organized at the mint of Berlin, but the rest of the issues were already at their own mint.
KM # 2, 1 penny 1896, bronze, 263 thousand copies, years of manufacture 1892-1898
KM # 3, 3 pence 1897, silver 0.925. 201 thousand equivalent, years of manufacture 1892-1897
KM # 4, 6 pence 1897, silver 0.925. 220 thousand exes, years of manufacture 1892-1897
KM # 5, 1 shilling 1896, silver 0.925, 437 thousand copies, years of production 1892-1897
KM # 6, 2 shillings 1896, silver 0.925, 353 thousand exes, years of production 1892-1897
On the obverse of all coins of the line is the profile of the President of the Republic Paul Kruger, on the reverse is the name of the state in Dutch Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (Republic of South Africa)
In 1899-1902, the Second Boer War took place, the result of which was the defeat of the Boers and the formation in 1910 of the Union of South Africa - a state entity with dominion rights within the British Empire.
Now, directly, coins of the Union of South Africa.
Coins of the first issues with the profile of George V differ from coins of the colonies already considered in a variety of types and small circulations. Coins were issued by the Pretoria Mint and in their appearance and monetary foot are very close to the coins of that time in Great Britain itself.
Coins in the ¼ penny (farthing) differ in the spelling of the denomination and the name of the state
Type 1: ¼ penny ¼, SOUTH AFRICA - ZUID AFRIKA (English/Dutch)
2 тип: ¼ penny, SOUTH AFRICA – ZUID AFRIKA
Type 3: ¼ D, SOUTH AFRICA - SUID AFRIKA (English/Afrikaans)
Type 1: ¼ penny ¼, SOUTH AFRICA - ZUID AFRIKA (English/Dutch)
2 тип: ¼ penny, SOUTH AFRICA – ZUID AFRIKA
Type 3: ¼ D, SOUTH AFRICA - SUID AFRIKA (English/Afrikaans)
At the bottom are coins of type 1, 2 and 3 from the personal collection
KM # 12.1, ¼ penny 1924, bronze, 95 thousand exes, production years 1923, 1924
KM # 12.2, ¼ penny 1928, bronze, 64 thousand copies, years of manufacture 1928-1931
KM # 12.3, ¼ penny 1932, bronze, 105 thousand copies, years of manufacture 1931-1936
The three types of penny ½ have the same hallmarks as farthings. The collection contains only the 3rd type.
KM # 13.3, ½ penny 1936, bronze, 407 thousand exes, production years 1932-1936
1 penny, 1st, 2nd and 3rd type.
KM # 14.1, 1 penny 1923, bronze, 91 thousand copies, years of manufacture 1923,1924
KM # 14.2, 1p 1929, Bronze, 1.1. million copies, production years 1926-1930
KM # 14.3, 1p 1936, Bronze, 1.8. million ex. years 1931-1936
Silver coins also have varieties that will be described in more detail as they are acquired. So far 3 and 6p type 2 and 3.
KM # 15.1, 3p 1927, silver 0.800, 2.7 M ex. years 1925-1930
KM # 15.2, 3p 1934, silver 0.800, 2.4 M ex. years 1931-1936
KM # 16.1, 6 pence 1929, silver 0.800. 784 thousand exes, years of manufacture 1925-1930
KM # 16.2, 6p 1933, silver 0.800, 2.8 M ex. years 1931-1936
George VI coins also have varieties, but in the period of interest to me there was only one, the rest of the varieties were issued after 1947 and were not included in the review.
KM # 23, ¼ penny 1942, bronze, 3.8 MMex. production years 1937-1947
KM # 24, ½ penny 1942, bronze, 8.4 MMex. production years 1937-1947
KM # 25, 1p 1941, bronze, 7.9M ex. years 1937-1947
KM # 26, 3p 1942, silver 0.800, 8.1 M ex. years 1937-1947
KM # 27, 6p 1942, silver 0.800, 4.9 M ex. years 1937-1947
The images on the coins of the Union of South Africa, in contrast to the considered coins of the previous colonies, differ in plots. The farthing depicts Cape sparrows, on ½ and 1 penny a sailboat, on 3 and 6 pence - the Proteus flower, which is a symbol of South Africa.
The 1 shilling coin depicts a woman resting on an anchor symbolizing Hope (Cape of Good Hope Colony).
KM # 28, 1 shilling 1943, silver 0.800, 4.2 M ex, years 1937-1947
The 2 ½ shilling coin depicts the coat of arms of the Union of South Africa, crowned with a crown.
KM # 30, 2 ½ shillings 1945, silver 0.800, 183 thousand exes, years of production 1937-1947
In 1961, the Union of South Africa was renamed the Republic of South Africa and withdrew from the British Commonwealth.
Mauritius
Discovered at the beginning of the 16th century by the Portuguese uninhabited island in the Indian Ocean, repeatedly passed from hand to hand. At first it was occupied by the Dutch, then in 1715 the French, until finally, in 1814, the British took it from France under the Paris Treaty (after the defeat of the Napoleonic army). Since that time, the British colony of Mauritius has been counting. The remoteness of the island from the continents (the nearest island of Madagascar is located 900 kilometers to the west) contributed to the introduction of its own currency on the island back in 1877. In the period under consideration (1877-1945), only 3 lines of coins were issued.
First line during the reign of Queen Victoria (1877-1899). It included bronze 1, 2, 5 cents and silver 800 samples 10 and 20 cents.
The next "cut-down" line, consisting only of bronze coins in denominations of 1, 2 and 5 cents, was issued between 1911 and 1924. In 1934, these coins with the profile of George V were supplemented with three silver coins in denominations of ¼, ½ and 1 rupee.
KM # 15, ¼ rupees 1935, silver 0.916 , 400 thousand exes, years 1934-1936
During the reign of George VI , coins, again, were issued in several types and metals, but I am interested in the first issue of silver ¼ rupees and 1 rupee, which took place in 1938, and the subsequent issue of bronze coins in 1942-1943 in 1, 2 and 5 cents.
KM # 20, 5 cents 1942, bronze, 940 thousand copies, production years 1942-1945
The island became independent in 1968. Until that moment, coins continued to be issued with the profiles of British monarchs.
Seychelles
Like the island of Mauritius, the Seychelles moved to Great Britain under the Paris Peace Treaty, and at first were part of the islands of the Mauritius archipelago. The separation of the islands into a separate royal colony occurred in 1903, and the first coins were issued in 1939. These were copper-nickel 10 cents and silver 25 cents, ½ rupees and 1 rupee. The circulation of issued coins is extremely small - 36 and 90 thousand copies .
KM # 4, 1 rupee 1939, silver 0.500. 90 kEq, only year of production