Schulman b.v.
Auction 375 6 Apr 2023
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German East Africa - 15 Rupien 1916 T, Gold, WILHELM II 1888–1918 Tabora mint. Elephant roaring right above date and mint mark. Rev. crowned imperial eagle.J. 728b; Fr. 1; KM. 16.1.With the outbreak of World War One, the flow of silver and gold coins from Germany was cut off. This created an almost imminent shortage of coinage which made it increasingly difficult for officials of the German East African company to conduct domestic and international transactions. To alleviate the shortage of gold coins, the colonial government ordered the East African mint in Tabora to salvage minting equipment acquired from naval vessels and strike new coins from gold ingots which could not be transported back to Germany.
Thus, the initiative for issuing the 15 rupien gold coin was born. Since the English sovereign was very popular at the time, the Tabora mint wanted to issue a coin of the same equivalent value. The design that the engravers came up with was surprisingly unconventional. Unlike the British sovereign, the 15 rupien coin did not depict the head of the state, but instead a trumpeting elephant. Since German East Africa was the beating heart of the ivory trade, the choice of an elephant was on the reverse nevertheless a fitting one.
The Tabora mint would issue 16,198 15 rupien in 1916. However, the vast majority of them was melted down after Tabora was captured by the Belgian army in 1918. This makes the 15 rupien not only an esthetically pleasing coin, but also a desirable one that is rarely encountered in mint state. Arabesque end below T of OSTAFRIKA. Extremely rare in this quality Tied for finest known at NGC. NGC MS66
Thus, the initiative for issuing the 15 rupien gold coin was born. Since the English sovereign was very popular at the time, the Tabora mint wanted to issue a coin of the same equivalent value. The design that the engravers came up with was surprisingly unconventional. Unlike the British sovereign, the 15 rupien coin did not depict the head of the state, but instead a trumpeting elephant. Since German East Africa was the beating heart of the ivory trade, the choice of an elephant was on the reverse nevertheless a fitting one.
The Tabora mint would issue 16,198 15 rupien in 1916. However, the vast majority of them was melted down after Tabora was captured by the Belgian army in 1918. This makes the 15 rupien not only an esthetically pleasing coin, but also a desirable one that is rarely encountered in mint state. Arabesque end below T of OSTAFRIKA. Extremely rare in this quality Tied for finest known at NGC. NGC MS66