One-tenth Penny 1956, Coin from British West Africa - detailed information

One-tenth Penny 1956, Coin from British West Africa (demonetised 1968)
CoinOne-tenth Penny 1956

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 a copper-nickel version. The high price of nickel caused a change for this denomination from to a bronze alloy in 1952. There was a one-year type issued for King George VI. These last coins of the denomination were issued for his daughter, Queen Elizabeth II.

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 1956 would have circulated for up to 12 years depending on location.

MintRoyal Mint Mint MarkNo mint mark Total Mintage 2,400,000 (2.4 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 QUEEN ELIZABETH THE SECOND.

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

Obverse Inscription QUEEN ELIZABETH THE SECOND 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: · 1956 ·.

Reverse Inscription BRITISH WEST AFRICA · 1956 ·
EdgePlainEdge InscriptionNone
Notes

Not listed in Remick.

One-tenth Penny 1956: Known varieties
Variety Proof
Mintage Issued: unknown
One-tenth Penny 1956: 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 1956: Details
CountryBritish West Africa
CurrencyBritish West African Pound
Coin TypeOne-tenth Penny (Bronze, Elizabeth II)
Issued1956
MonarchQueen Elizabeth II
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 Mintage2,400,000 (2.4 million)
CurrentNo; demonetised 1968
MaterialBronze
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound with hole
OrientationMedal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size20.0000 mm
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One-tenth Penny 1956: Photos
ImageDetails
One-tenth Penny 1956: Photo 1/10 Penny / thumbnail 1/10 Penny
Copyright: British Museum / CC BY-NC-SA
Source
One-tenth Penny 1956: Catalogue Reference IDs
SourceReference ID
Krause, Standard Catalog of World CoinsBritish West Africa KM# 32
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