One-tenth Penny 1940, Coin from British West Africa - detailed information

One-tenth Penny 1940, Coin from British West Africa (demonetised 1968)
CoinOne-tenth Penny 1940

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.

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. Thus, 1/10 penny coins issued in 1940 would have circulated for up to 28 years depending on location.

MintRoyal Mint Mint MarkNo mint mark Total Mintage 13,920,000 (13.9 million)
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Obverse

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 VI REX ET IND: IMP:. Translated from Latin: George the Sixth, King and Emperor of India.

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

Obverse Inscription GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
Reverse

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: · 1940 ·.

Reverse Inscription BRITISH WEST AFRICA · 1940 ·
EdgePlainEdge InscriptionNone
One-tenth Penny 1940: Known varieties
Variety Proof
Mintage Issued: unknown
One-tenth Penny 1940: References to Information Used
All (45) coins of type: One-tenth Penny
Coin NameMintageLegend
One-tenth Penny 1906 (Trial) unknown EDWARD VII KING & EMPEROR ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1907 1,254,401 EDWARD VII KING & EMPEROR ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1908 (Aluminium) 8,362,668 EDWARD VII KING & EMPEROR ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1908 (CuproNickel) 9,600,000 EDWARD VII KING & EMPEROR ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1909 4,800,000 EDWARD VII KING & EMPEROR ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1910 7,200,000 EDWARD VII KING & EMPEROR ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
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
One-tenth Penny 1936 Edward VIII 10,284,000 EDWARD VIII REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1938 13,596,000 GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1939 9,840,000 GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1940 13,920,000 GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1941 16,560,000 GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1942 12,360,000 GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1943 22,560,000 GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1944 10,440,000 GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1945 25,706,400 GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1946 9,959,200 GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1947 8,102,400 GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1949 6,736,320 GEORGIVS SEXTVS REX ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1950 13,200,000 GEORGIVS SEXTVS REX ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1952 15,060,000 GEORGIVS SEXTVS REX ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1954 4,800,000 QUEEN ELIZABETH THE SECOND ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1956 2,400,000 QUEEN ELIZABETH THE SECOND ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
One-tenth Penny 1957 7,200,000 QUEEN ELIZABETH THE SECOND ONE TENTH OF A PENNY عُشِر الپَنّي
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One-tenth Penny 1940: Details
CountryBritish West Africa
CurrencyBritish West African Pound
Coin TypeOne-tenth Penny (CuproNickel, George VI)
Issued1940
MonarchKing George VI
EffigyImperial Crown - St Edward's Crown and the Tudor Crown
ReverseImperial Crown - St Edward's Crown and the Tudor Crown
Face Value1/10 (x Penny)
Total Mintage13,920,000 (13.9 million)
CurrentNo; demonetised 1968
MaterialCuproNickel
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound with hole
OrientationMedal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size20.0000 mm
Mass1.9000 g
OCC IDXGAV-PEXA-CXJD-OMDY
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One-tenth Penny 1940: Photos
ImageDetails
One-tenth Penny 1940: Photo 1/10 Penny / thumbnail 1/10 Penny
Copyright: British Museum / CC BY-NC-SA
Source
One-tenth Penny 1940: Catalogue Reference IDs
SourceReference ID
Krause, Standard Catalog of World CoinsBritish West Africa KM# 20
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