Brits Oost-Afrika, Duits Oost-Afrika. (Zonder Minimumprijs)

An expansive, unsearched assemblage of historic East Africa coinage spanning the colonial era under British administration, prominently featuring denominations from 5 cents, 10 cents, 50 cents, and 1 shilling issued for the regions comprising modern Kenya, Uganda, and Tanganyika. These coins, minted across the 1920s through the 1950s, present a visually compelling range of patinas and metallic tones, with distinctive pierced-center copper-nickel issues and higher-value silver-alloy types that exemplify the evolving monetary standards applied throughout East Africa during the early to mid-20th century. Clearly visible dates include 1925, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1942, 1943, 1949, 1951, and 1954, providing a valuable chronological cross-section of pre-independence East African numismatics. Many pieces display the iconic crowned lion standing proudly before the silhouette of Mount Kilimanjaro, an emblem deeply associated with the East African shilling system and long sought after by collectors of British Commonwealth currency.

The 5-cent and 10-cent pierced coins reveal crisp legends encircling the central aperture, a hallmark of East African bronze and copper-nickel coinage that ensured easy differentiation by touch and weight in a diverse economic landscape. The inscriptions “East Africa” and “Ost-Afrika” underscore the multilayered linguistic and trade relationships defining the region’s colonial history. The 50-cent pieces and the 1-shilling issue display intricate crowned effigies and detailed coats of arms paired with mountainous landscapes, merging European minting precision with unmistakably African geographic symbolism. Observed issues originate from major British Empire mints, their distinctive strike styles enhancing the historical traceability of the set. Surface coloration ranges from rich chocolate and coffee-brown tones on bronze denominations to the cool silver-grey of nickel and silver-alloy strikes, offering variations prized by specialists focused on die varieties, minting anomalies, and period-specific design modifications.

Collectors of African colonial currency, British Commonwealth series, and mid-century East African trade history will find substantial appeal in the diversity of dates, conditions, and design elements represented here. The iconic Mt. Kilimanjaro reverse, the practical ring-cent design, and the pre-independence territorial inscriptions contribute to the lot’s strong numismatic depth. Because the selection remains unsearched, it preserves the potential for scarcer date varieties, minting quirks, or transitional issues that often emerge from mixed colonial-era collections. This grouping forms a richly detailed snapshot of East African monetary evolution in the decades leading up to independence, offering aesthetic, historical, and cataloging value to dedicated researchers and collection builders engaged with early 20th-century African coinage.