Currency Today : Kenya 01

To avoid too many subthemes, I'm planning some posts on coins and banknotes that are in use right now. As there are few places were only coins or only banknotes are in use (like Laos for example), I decided to combine both notes and coins under the title 'Currency Today'.
If my blog survives the end of the world in December 2012, and if it's still online in 2062, there might be some updates needed, but so far I'll keep the title, "Currency Today".

As the whole northern hemisphere is suffering from cold, there's no better place to go then the hot and wonderful Kenya.
Another reason why I'm posting Kenya currency now, is because a friend of mine, just came back from the eastern african country, with some fine coins and notes.

map of Africa - Kenya

Kenya is a country that is known by the Arabs since the 8th century, for the ivory and slave trade.
The Portuguese took over influence in the 16th century. The small island of Zanzibar near the Kenyan and Tanzanian border controlled much of the eastern side of Africa and because of it's strategic position on the way to India, also the German and British conquerors were mostly interested in Kenyan harbours.
Since Dec. 12, 1963 the country is independent and since 1964 it's a republic.

As a result of British influence, the currency is Cent and Shilling.

Kenya currency (front) - 2012

Kenya currency (back) - 2012

Most of the coins are bimetallic coins.

In use are 1, 5 10 and 20 shilling coins.
Less common is the 40 shilling bimetallic coin.
It's less common not only for it's face value of 40, but the first banknote in use is a 50 shilling note.

A closer look at the coin explains a lot.
Since the country became independent in 1963, the coin is actually a commemorative coin to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the independence.  No better reason to emit a 40 shilling coin of course.

40 shilling Keny - commemorative coin 2003

Maybe in 2013, a new 50 Shilling coin will be issued.


to be continued...