Kenya’s
recent coins – those dated 2005 to 2010
I first came across reports of a new series of Kenyan circulation coins
in May 2005. I believe that the report was just the announcement of a
plan to have such coins. The report made mention that the coins would
feature Kenya’s first president Jomo Kenyatta. Later, in the Royal Mint
Annual Report 2004-05 (see
http://www.royalmint.com/~/media/Files/AnnualReports/ar200405.ashx
), I
got my first glimpse of the designs. A whole page was given over to
images of 2005 dated coins of Kenya. Coins of 5, 10, 50 Cents, 1, 10,
and 20 Shillings were shown and the caption for the whole image read: -
“An important order for circulating Kenyan coins was secured during the
year.”
Kenyan legislation details the specifications (mass, thickness,
diameter, materials and edge type) for the 2005 series and details that
all feature the portrait of Jomo Kenyatta (Kenya’s first president and
founding father) along with the Kenyan coat of arms and the country
name. The specifications for the coins of the 5, 10 and 20 Shillings
are the same as those of the previously issued bi-metallic types of
these denominations as are reverse designs (coat of arms etc.). All of
these three types have the same obverse, a match for that on the 50
Cents and 1 Shilling that I will detail later, only with the legends
clearly on the ring and the portrait clearly on the core. The
specifications for these coins are as follows: -
5 Shillings, 19.5mm diameter, milled edge, edge thickness 1.85mm,
Copper-Nickel ring with Aluminium-Bronze core, mass 3.75grams.
10 Shillings, 23.0mm diameter, milled edge, edge thickness 1.75mm,
Aluminium-Bronze ring with Copper-Nickel core, mass 5.0grams.
20 Shillings, 26.0mm diameter, alternate milled/plain edge, edge
thickness 2.4mm, Copper-Nickel ring with Aluminium-Bronze core, mass
9.0grams.
Kenya 20 Shillings 2005
The Official Gazette Notice gives the specifications of the 5, 10 and
50 Cents and 1 Shilling as follows: -
5 Cents, 17.9mm diameter, plain edge, edge thickness 1.7mm,
Nickel-plated-Steel, mass 2.5grams
10 Cents, 19.9mm diameter, plain edge, edge thickness 1.8mm,
Nickel-plated-Steel, mass 3.5grams
50 Cents, 21.9mm diameter, milled edge, edge thickness 1.9mm,
Nickel-plated-Steel, mass 4.5grams
1 Shilling, 23.9mm diameter, alternate milled/plain edge, edge
thickness 1.9mm, Nickel-plated-Steel, 5.5grams
Kenya 50 Cents 2005
From size and material information above, these all differ in some way
to all previous types. From the images in the Royal Mint report it is
known that the reverses for the 5 Cents and the 10 Cents are generally
as per the coat of arms sides on the first Kenyan types of these
denominations (i.e. dates 1966 to 1991/1994). These have a large coat
of arms with a smaller denomination numeral below, all central and then
with “REPUBLIC OF KENYA” arched above the coat of arms, the date “2005”
split to each side of the coat of arms and the denomination in words
arched below. The 50 Cents and 1 Shilling denomination, on the other
hand, have their reverses as per the coat of arms sides on the coins of
these denominations as first issued with date “1995”. This is as seen
for the 2005 dated coins of 5 Cents and 10 Cents but having a large
denomination numeral with a smaller coat of arms below. The obverses on
the 50 Cents and 1 Shilling are identical. They have Kenyatta’s
portrait with “THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF KENYA” arched above and “MZEE
JOMO KENYATTA” arched below. This portrait and the accompanying legends
are as can be found on the Kenyan circulation types starting with those
dated 1969. I can only assume that the obverses of the 2005 dated coins
of 5 Cents and 10 Cents were the same as on the new 50 Cents and 1
Shilling.
Kenya 1 Shilling 2005
The 1 Shilling and 10 Shillings were the first types of this series to
be issued, first appearing in Kenya around February 2006. Denominations
issued by the end of 2007 were 50 Cents, 1 Shilling, 5 Shillings, 10
Shillings and 20 Shillings. It turns out that the mint never actually
received an order for circulation quantities of the 5 Cents and 10
Cents. Throughout this period the Kenyan Shilling traded at around 60
to 80 per U.S. Dollar. As at July 2008 there were some doubts reported
regarding the general public’s acceptance of the 50 Cents. No wonder
the 5 Cents and 10 Cents coins were never ordered.
Kenyan coins were later issued dated 2009; these were 1, 5, 10 and 20
Shillings. These were all just new dates of the 2005 types. More
recently Kenyan coins have been issued dated 2010 in those same four
denominations – it would seem that these remain the current issue. The
2010 coins of 1 Shilling and 10 Shillings appeared first. Collectors
were surprised to find slight modifications to the dated side of the 10
Shillings 2010 as compared to pieces of 2005 and 2009. That was “news”
in early September 2011, three months later I got an example of the 5
Shillings 2010 – this design too included slight modifications to that
side as compared to the coins of the same denomination dated 2005 and
2009. Some time later I got the 20 Shillings 2010 there are no design
changes for this denomination. Another aspect has changed for each of
the 5, 10 and 20 Shillings of 2010. These three bi-metallic types are
now each made from Nickel-plated-Steel (in place of Copper-Nickel) and
Brass-plated-Steel (in place of Aluminium-Bronze). The 1 Shilling
design and material remains unchanged for 2010.
The bolder "5" with smaller coat of arms as on the 5 Shillings
2010, alongside an older piece for comparison (scaled to about 600dpi).
The images above show how the modified reverse design of the 5
Shillings has a smaller coat of arms including spears point positioned
differently relative to the “5” of the denomination. Also in the image
the “5” of the denomination can be seen to be perhaps slightly bolder.
Elsewhere on the reverse (not in the above image) a different font for
the legend can be seen on the ring – this is mainly evident on the “R”
in “REPUBLIC” and the “S” at each end of “SHILLINGS.
For the 10 Shillings the modifications for 2010 are quite similar.
These have a smaller coat of arms including spears point positioned
differently relative to the “10” of the denomination, a different font
for the legend on the ring (the same as that now in this position on
the 5 Shillings) and the “10” of the denomination is noticeably bolder.
Why could it be that these designs have been changed? Well my first
thought was that the only important element of these changes was the
use of bolder denomination numerals for increased readability, even on
well circulated coins. However, the change in boldness for the large
numeral “5” is not particularly obvious. From making comparisons with
other Kenyan coins, it can be seen that the 5 Shillings and 10
Shillings now have the same reverse main font as can be seen on the
reverse of all Kenyan coins of 20 Shillings. Dates 1998, 2005 and 2009
are know for the 20 Shillings and all are bi-metallic. Increased
similarities for the 5, 10 and 20 Shillings coins are an aesthetic
improvement. If bi-metallic coins in these three denominations had
first been introduced in the same year, then no doubt just one font
would have been used for all three reverse designs.
Anyway whoever had created/updated the tooling for coins to be struck
dated “2010”, as opposed to “2009” – it could well be that they had
also made these other modifications along with the date changing task.
As it happens an engraver at the British Royal Mint had a blog for a
while, as one of a group of people involved in various aspects of the
London 2010 Olympic Games. Unfortunately the site is no longer updated
and perhaps no longer exists - it was to be found at
http://www.makingthegames.co.uk.
In February 2011 I read an entry there
dated 20-Jul-2010, by engraver Tommy Docherty – as follows…
>>>>Started work today
creating new programmes for the 2010 Kenya coins. Because it's the same
design every year all I'm having to do is change the date on the tails
side of the coins. I'm working on the 1, 5, 10, and 20 Shillings!!<<<<
So at that time he was about to start the task of re-dating for the
Kenya coins of 1, 5, 10 and 20 Shillings. It can only be assumed that
he perhaps did the other changes for the dated side of the 5 Shillings
and of the 10 Shillings at this time.
One notable design by Tommy Docherty is that of the reverse of the
Great Britain 2 Pounds 2008 for the centenary of the 1908 London
Olympics. It was his first design for a G.B. coin. He has now done
quite a number of coin and medal designs. The British Royal Mint did,
of course, produce the medals for the London 2012 Olympics.
Finally, Kenya recently got a new constitution. “The Constitution of
Kenya, 2010” came into force on 27th August 2010. Within this, article
231 includes:-
“(4) Notes and coins issued by the Central Bank of Kenya may bear
images that depict or symbolise Kenya or an aspect of Kenya but shall
not bear the portrait of any individual.”
A note near the end of the document that specifically refers to the
above, states:-
“34. Nothing in Article 231 (4) affects the validity of coins and notes
issued before the effective date.”
So we can expect the Kenya’s 2010 dated coins to be the last to show
Kenyatta. Any further coins will be new types. What would look nice on
the 1, 5, 10 and 20 Shilling coins instead of the portrait?
NOTE: All images on this page of whole coins scaled at approximately
200dpi.
NOTE: I have followed the obverse/reverse definitions for these coins
as indicated on the website of the Central Bank of Kenya.