One-tenth Penny (CuproNickel, George V), Coin Type from British West Africa - detailed information

One-tenth Penny (CuproNickel, George V), Coin Type from British West Africa (issued 1911 - 1936)
Coin TypeOne-tenth Penny (CuproNickel, George V)

The British West African Pound was the currency of British West Africa, a group of British colonies, protectorates and mandate territories - Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana (originally Gold Coast) and Gambia. From 1907 till 1911 the reverse of the coins showed the legend NIGERIA BRITISH WEST AFRICA, then from 1912 the word NIGERIA was discontinued.

The British West African Pound was equal to the (pre-decimal) Pound Sterling and was similarly subdivided into 20 shillings, each of 12 pence. Unlike its Imperial counterpart though, the British West African Pound - uniquely among British colonies - also had a denomination worth one tenth of a penny - due to the low standard of living in the African colonies, where people had considerably less money than people elsewhere. The denomination was worth 1/2,400th of a pound (i.e., 2,400 of these coins made one pound).

The earliest coins of this denomination were made of aluminium; however, they suffered from corrosion and were soon replaced by this type in copper-nickel.

After decolonisation, the coins were replaced by the various new countries as they introduced their own independent currencies:
- Nigeria introduced the Nigerian Pound in 1958
- Ghana introduced in Ghanaian Pound in 1958
- British Cameroon (on unification with Cameroon) adopted the Central African CFA Franc in 1961
- Sierra Leone introduced the Leone in 1964
- Gambia introduced the Gambian Pound in 1965

In some places, British West African coins circulated in parallel with the new coinage until 1968.

Obverse
British West Africa / One-tenth Penny (CuproNickel, George V) - obverse photo

An imperial crown above a central circular hole with a scroll ornament to right and left; below the crown and around the hole, the value and denomination ONE TENTH OF A PENNY.

Around, outside the scroll ornaments, the monarch's legend GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: . Translated from Latin: George the Fifth, King and Emperor of India.

Below the hole, the denomination in Arabic: عُشِر الپَنّي.

Obverse Inscription GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
Reverse
British West Africa / One-tenth Penny (CuproNickel, George V) - reverse photo

Around a circular central hole, Solomon's seal (a six-pointed "Star of David"), consisting of two equilateral triangles interlaced.

Around, interrupted by the star, the legend BRITISH WEST AFRICA; around below, the star divides the date: · [year] ·.

Reverse Inscription BRITISH WEST AFRICA · [year] ·
EdgePlainEdge InscriptionNone
Notes

Note that the reverse legend included the word NIGERIA in 1911.

References to additional information:

[Book] Remick, Jerome. 1971. The Guide Book and Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins, pp 87-95.
[Book] Vice, David. 1983. The Coinage of British West Africa & St. Helena 1684 - 1958.

Coin Type: One-tenth Penny (CuproNickel, George V) - (22) Coins
Coin NameMintageLegend
One-tenth Penny 1911 7,200,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1912 10,800,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1913 5,712,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1914 21,288,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1915 10,032,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1916 480,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1917 9,384,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1919 1,392,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1920 14,556,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1922 7,264,778 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1923 12,000,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1925 26,400,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1926 12,000,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1927 3,984,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1928 17,875,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1930 9,600,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1931 9,840,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1932 3,600,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1933 7,200,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1934 4,800,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1935 13,200,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1936 George V 9,720,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
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One-tenth Penny (CuproNickel, George V): Details
CountryBritish West Africa
CurrencyBritish West African Pound
Sub-type ofOne-tenth Penny
From1911
To1936
Face Value1/10 (x Penny)
CurrentNo (demonetised 1968)
MaterialCuproNickel
Designer
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound with hole
OrientationMedal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size20.5000 mm
Mass1.7200 g
One-tenth Penny (CuproNickel, George V): Photos
ImageDetails
British West Africa 1/10 Penny 1933
Copyright: smarty_marty24
Source
British West Africa 1/10 Penny 1933
Copyright: smarty_marty24
Source