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Currency history

East African shilling

East African shilling: a historical unit of account.

Dates in use
Introduction and ending not established
Ancestry branch
Indian rupee

Its place in the family

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East African shilling: documented and qualified family connections PREDECESSORS THIS CURRENCY SUCCESSORS Kenya and Uganda florinKenya and Uganda florin 1922 · date range · DocumentedShillings per florin; covered obligationsand surviving cash valued under principalDocumented connection · 1922 · date range · Shillings per florin; covered obligations and surviving cash valued under principal order as amended. German East African rupee–pesa accountingGerman East African rupee–pesaaccounting 1922 · QualifiedLater contribution or absorptionQualified connection · 1922 Kenyan shillingKenyan shilling 1966 · date range · DocumentedKenya shillings per regional shillingunder historical exchange provisions;Documented connection · 1966 · date range · Kenya shillings per regional shilling under historical exchange provisions; further exchange periods and damaged cash separately qualified. Tanzanian shillingTanzanian shilling 1966 · date range · DocumentedOne Tanzanian shilling for one EastAfrican shilling under s.36; old tenderDocumented connection · 1966 · date range · One Tanzanian shilling for one East African shilling under s.36; old tender and exchange windows separately governed by ss.33–34. Ugandan shillingUgandan shilling 1966–1967 · DocumentedDocumented connection · 1966–1967 Somali shillingSomali shilling 1961 · DocumentedLater contribution or absorptionDocumented connection · 1961 Ethiopian birrEthiopian birr 1945 · DocumentedDocumented connection · 1945 South Arabian / South Yemeni dinarSouth Arabian / South Yemenidinar 1965 · DocumentedDocumented connection · 1965 East African shillingEast African shilling Currency history

The story

Tanzania’s original Bank Act applies to both Tanganyika and Zanzibar and establishes the shilling divided into 100 cents. [1]

For the transition provisions, one East African shilling equals one Tanzanian shilling. [2]

Former regional notes/coins remain tender until proclamation; free exchange on demand applies while they remain tender, with later exchange periods separately authorisable. [3]

Turning points

Florin policy order reported

Churchill’s 1921 statement describes the April 1920 Kenya/Uganda order adopting a local florin worth two sterling shillings and temporarily rating Indian rupees at that value. [4]

Shilling policy announcement

The May 1921 decision uses a local shilling equal to half a florin and converts rupee contracts at two local shillings per rupee; extension to Tanganyika is prospective. [5]

Kenya shilling legal commencement

Kenyan Proclamation 177 brings the 1921 principal currency order and its No.2 amendment into force on 1 January 1922. Inference: Article 9(2) requires commencement by territorial proclamation; Kenya’s 1 January 1922 date does not establish Uganda’s commencement or first physical shilling issue. [6] [7]

Territorial note tender end

CBK reports regional banknotes losing tender in Kenya in September 1967 and regional coins in April 1969. [8]

Sources and evidence

  1. United Republic of Tanzania · Bank of Tanzania Act, 1965, No.12 of 1966 C466 ↗
  2. United Republic of Tanzania · Bank of Tanzania Act, 1965, No.12 of 1966 C467 ↗
  3. United Republic of Tanzania · Bank of Tanzania Act, 1965, No.12 of 1966 C468 ↗
  4. Winston Churchill, Secretary of State for the Colonies; Hansard · Currency, East Africa — Commons statement, 30 May 1921 C475 ↗
  5. Winston Churchill, Secretary of State for the Colonies; Hansard · Currency, East Africa — Commons statement, 30 May 1921 C476 ↗
  6. Government of Kenya; Laws.Africa Gazettes archive · Kenya Gazette No.804, 16 December 1921: Proclamation 177 and Government Notices 461–462 C612 ↗
  7. Government of Kenya; Laws.Africa Gazettes archive · Kenya Gazette No.804, 16 December 1921: Proclamation 177 and Government Notices 461–462 C616 ↗
  8. Central Bank of Kenya · Currency History — national issue and regional currency withdrawal C474 ↗

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“East African shilling.” The Family Tree of Money. © Field Technologies, Inc. Reader edition 2026-10-13; research dataset v44. https://familytreeofmoney.org/currency/FTM000233.html

Editorial evidence supplement · Download dataset v44

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