East Africa 1939-KN 5 cents
East Africa was an administrative grouping of the British colonies of Kenya, Uganda and British Somaliland. Tanganyika was added in 1919 after it was seized from the Germans. The original currency system was 100 cents = one florin (2 shillings). In 1922, this was changed to 100 cents = one shilling. This type is known from the London mint, Heaton mint (H), and King's Norton mint (KN). The coinage has been obsolete since the member colonies obtained independence in the early 1960's. This specimen was lot 2119 in Goldberg sale 81 (Los Angeles, September 2014), where it sold for $152.75. The catalog description[1] noted, "East Africa. 5 Cents, 1939-KN. PCGS graded Specimen 65 Red and Brown. Ex: King's Norton Mint Collection." This type was struck at King's Norton, Heaton and Bombay 1937-41. The weight was reduced to 5.67 g in 1941 and to 5.55 g in 1949 and raised to 5.77 g in 1955.
Recorded mintage: 2,000,000 from King's Norton plus 2,000,000 from Heaton.
Specification: 6.32 g, bronze, plain edge.
Catalog reference: KM-25.1.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Goldberg, Ira, Larry Goldberg, Aleeza Brown, Yifu Che, Jason Villareal and Stephen Harvey, Goldberg Sale 81: the Pre-Long Beach Auction, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, 2014.
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