Kenya 1966 500 shillings

from Stack's Bowers 2016 ANA sale, part of lot 21130

photo courtesy Stack's Bowers LLC

This specimen was part of lot 21130 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Anaheim, CA, August 2016), which sold for $2,585. The catalog description^[1] noted, "KENYA. Three Piece Jomo Kenyatta Gold Set, 1966. NGC MS-64 & MS-66. Fr-1, 2 & 3; KM-7, 8 & 9. No mintage listed in Krause, but all three are infrequently encountered types containing a combined 1.9046 Troy ounces AGW. Includes 100, 250 and 500 Shillings, all in high grade, and all free of spots, tone or fog." The East African region including present-day Kenya is home to many indigenous groups such as the Kikuyu and Masai. It became a part of the British empire as a colony (see British East Africa). After the bloody Mau-Mau rebellion in the early 1960's, Kenya achieved independence in 1964, but remained a member of the British Commonwealth. Jomo Kenyatta, member of the Kikuyu tribe, was the first president of Kenya (1964-1978) and appears on all coins of that period. This set honored Jomo's 75th birthday.

Recorded mintage: unknown plus 500 proofs.

Specification: 38 g, .917 fine gold, 1.113 troy oz AGW.

Catalog reference: Fr-1; KM-9.

Source:

• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• ^[1]Ponterio, Richard, The August 2016 Anaheim ANA Auction: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2016.

Link to:

• 1966 shilling
• 1966 100 shillings
• 1966 250 shillings
• Coins and currency dated 1966
• return to coins of Kenya