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500 Rupees
| Issuer | Government of the East Africa Protectorate |
|---|---|
| Year | 1912-1916 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 500 Rupees |
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| Obverse description | Dark brown letterpress note on plain paper with the heading 'THE GOVERNMENT OF THE EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE' in large bold type across the upper portion, flanked by intricate guilloche rosettes at each corner. The denomination '500' appears in large numerals at left and right, with the value 'FIVE HUNDRED RUPEES' inscribed centrally in a banner, accompanied by the equivalent sum in Arabic, Swahili, and Gujarati scripts below. The place and date of issue 'Mombasa, 1st May 1916' appear at lower centre, with a manuscript signature to the right above the printed legend 'FOR THE CURRENCY COMMISSIONERS'. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | THE GOVERNMENT OF THE EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE PROMISES TO PAY THE BEARER ON DEMAND THE SUM OF FIVE HUNDRED RUPEES FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE Mombasa, 1st May 1916 FOR THE CURRENCY COMMISSIONERS |
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| Comments |
The East Africa Protectorate issued paper currency under direct Crown authority before the establishment of a dedicated colonial monetary board — these notes preceded the East African Currency Board by several years, and the 500 Rupee denomination was clearly not intended for ordinary commerce. At this value, the notes functioned almost entirely as instruments of interbank settlement and government account transfers within the Protectorate's colonial administration.
De La Rue handled the full production in London. Surviving examples are extremely rare; high-denomination colonial notes of this period were rarely released in quantity and were typically cancelled and destroyed once redeemed through official channels.