🔎 About the 1949 East Africa 5 Cents Coin

Issued under the British colonial administration, this coin was part of the unified East African Shilling system used across Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika (now Tanzania), and parts of Somalia.

Specifications:

• Material: Bronze

• Weight: ~5.7 grams

• Diameter: 25.5 mm

• Shape: Circular with a central hole

• Obverse: Crowned portrait of King George VI encircling the central hole

• Reverse: "EAST AFRICA • 5 CENTS • 1949" surrounding the same central hole

• Mint: Likely struck at the Royal Mint, UK

🌍 Historical Context

This coin was minted just a few years after the end of World War II, during a time when the British Empire still held influence over vast parts of Africa. The use of the holed coin was practical in the hot and humid regions of East Africa — it made coins lighter and easier to carry or string together.

The 1949 issue came during the final decade of the British East Africa currency union, which began dissolving in the late 1950s as independence movements swept the continent.

💡 Collecting Insights

• Colonial Rarity: Though not rare in mint numbers, these coins are increasingly appreciated for their design and historical relevance.

• Holed Feature: A distinctive trait that gives this coin a unique presence in any collection.

• Transitional Value: It captures the final years of King George VI's reign and the shifting political landscape in Africa.

From colonial markets to your collection, this small bronze disc speaks of empire, adaptation, and eventual independence. A quiet witness to the last chapter of British East Africa.