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Kenya's coinage since independence

Started by <k>, January 02, 2019, 04:37:32 PM

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<k>

PRODUCTION THROUGH TO 1978.

The 25 cents coin was not minted after 1969, except for in the 1973 mint set.

The 2 shillings coin was not minted after 1971, except for in the 1973 mint set.

The remaining coins were minted through to 1978.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>



Kenya, 5 shillings, 1973.  Independence commemorative.


In 1973 Kenya issued a circulating commemorative coin.

It was a nine-sided 5 shillings coin.

It was made of an aluminium-nickel-bronze alloy.

The coin commemorated the tenth anniversary of independence.


See: Polygonal coins have many sides and many facets.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Arap Moi.jpg

PRESIDENT MOI.


Daniel Toroitich arap Moi (born 1924) was the President of Kenya from 1978 to 2002.

He had been Vice-President from 1967 to 1978.

He succeeded Kenyatta as President upon the latter's death.

See Wikipedia: Daniel arap Moi.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

THIRD COIN SERIES:  FIRST COINAGE OF PRESIDENT MOI.

Coins bearing Kenyatta's portrait were issued into 1978, since he did not die until August.

Coins bearing President Moi's portrait were then issued, also with the year 1978.


English artist and sculptor Norman Sillman had produced the portrait of Kenyatta.

He also produced the portrait of Moi that appeared on the coins.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Kenya - Moi-.jpg

Portrait of President Moi.


This is how the portrait appeared on the nickel-brass coins.


The legend reads:

PRESIDENT OF REPUBLIC OF KENYA

DANIEL TOROITICH ARAP MOI



The nickel-brass 5 and 10 cents coins were issued through to 1991.

A brass-plated steel 5 cents coin was issued in 1994 only.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Kenya 1 shilling 1989~.jpg
 
Portrait of President Moi.


This is how the portrait appeared on the copper-nickel coins.


The copper-nickel 50 cents and 1 shilling coins were issued through to 1991.

Nickel-plated steel versions of those coins were issued in 1994 only.


No 25 cents or 2 shillings coins were issued under President Moi.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>



Kenya, 10 cents, 1991.



Kenya 1 shilling 1989-.jpg

Kenya, 1 shilling, 1989.



The obverse of the Moi coins showed the coat of arms as usual.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#22
Kenya 5 shillings 1985~.jpg

Obverse of the 5 shillings coin of 1985.


In 1985 a new denomination was added: the 5 shillings coin.

This heptagonal coin was produced at the Royal Mint (UK).


It weighed 13.5 grams and had a diameter of 30 mm.

It had the same dimensions as the UK 50 pence coin of the time.


See also: 

An Alphabet of Heptagons: Seven-sided Coins.

Coins of the exact same size and weight that were from different countries.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Kenya 5s  1985.jpg

Reverse of the 5 shillings coin of 1985.


This coin was issued in 1985 only.

A nickel-plated steel version was issued in 1994 only.

These were Kenya's only polygonal coins to date.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

1994: THE END OF THE THIRD COIN SERIES.

The third coin series was the first to carry President Moi's portrait.

The final coins of this series were issued in 1994.

These were plated versions of the existing Moi coins.


The 10 cents coin was minted in brass-plated steel.

The 50 cents and 1 and 5 shillings coins were minted in nickel-plated steel.

There were one-year types, minted in 1994 only.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#25
FOURTH COIN SERIES:  SECOND COINAGE OF PRESIDENT MOI.

The fourth coin series began in 1994 with the bimetallic 10 shillings coin.

It therefore slightly overlapped with the third coin series.


The features of the fourth coin series:

1] An amended legend on the portrait side of the coinage.

2] A smaller coat of arms and larger numerals on the obverse of the coinage.

3] The reduction in size and weight of the already existing denominations.

4] The addition of new and higher denominations.

5] The introduction of bimetallic coins and a copper-plated coin.

6] The demise of the only polygonal coin, the heptagonal 5 shillings.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Kenya 10s 1997-.jpg

Obverse of the 10 shillings coin.


In 1994 the first denomination of the new series was issued.

It was a bimetallic 10 shillings coin.

5 shillings had been the highest denomination of the previous series.


This was Kenya's first bimetallic coin.

It had a copper-nickel centre within an aluminium-bronze ring.

It weighed 5 grams and had a diameter of 23 mm.


The coat of arms on the obverse was much reduced.

The denomination numerals now took up much more space.

This made them clearly visible on this relatively small coin.

This coin type with Moi's portrait was issued through to 1997.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Kenya 10s 1997.jpg

The portrait side of the 10 shillings coin.


The reverse now had an amended legend.

It read simply as PRESIDENT DANIEL TOROITICH ARAP MOI.


Previously his title was shown as PRESIDENT OF REPUBLIC OF KENYA.

That was in addition to his name.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>



Kenya, 10 cents, 1995.


The lowest denomination of the new series was issued in 1995.

It was the 10 cents coin.

This was Kenya's only copper-plated steel coin.


Previous 10 cents coins had been in copper-nickel, then nickel-brass and brass-plated steel.

The coin was minted in 1995 only, because inflation made the denomination useless.


This was the only 10 cents with the new reverse legend of 1995.

It also had the new smaller arms on the obverse.

This 10 cents coin was therefore unique in various ways.


The coin weighed 2.2 grams and had a diameter of 16.5 mm.

The previous 10 cents type had weighed 9.3 grams and had a diameter of 30.8 mm.

The new coin type followed the worldwide trend of smaller and lighter coins.


See: One-off non-commemorative circulation coins.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>




The new 50 cents coin was issued from 1995 to 1997.

It was made of brass-plated steel.

The coin weighed 3.1 grams and had a diameter of 18 mm.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.