Featured A coin borne of warfare: German East Africa c. 1916

I first came across this type in one of Heritage's Shipwreck Auctions, and was immediately taken with the fascinating history behind the coins - not least because, as a fan of Peter Capstick, I'd already read about the hunt for the SMS Königsberg in his terrific book Death in the Silent Places.

Minted out of desperate necessity, deep in the heartland of an embattled German East Africa, from melted-down brass shell casings and using machinery salvaged from the wreck of the Königsberg - when do you find a coin with a more intimate connection to its time and place in history?

Given the poor quality control, finding a nice specimen is tough. This one is better than most and I was delighted to add it to my collection!

GERMAN EAST AFRICA
Brass 20 Heller (29.0mm, 10.55g, 12h)
Dated 1916. Emergency mint, Tabora, G.E.A.
Obverse: Crown with ribbon above ♦ 1916 ♦ / - DOA - ; T [mintmark] below
Reverse: 20 HELLER in two lines within wreath
References: Numista 37340
Mintage: 1,600,000
Lightly toned surfaces. A specimen of unusual quality for this emergency issue.​

When the coastal capital of German East Africa, Dar es Salaam, was threatened and bombarded by British naval forces in July of 1916, German authorities moved the capital 460 miles inland to Tabora, the largest settlement in the interior of German East Africa. Now essentially cut off from Europe, the Germans were forced to issue local emergency coins and banknotes to pay their askari troops. At Tabora, a makeshift mint was set up in an old postal railway workshop, run by a handful of native laborers under German supervision. Brass guns and shell casings were melted down for the coins themselves, which were minted using machinery salvaged from the wreck of the SMS Königsberg, a light cruiser that had been destroyed by the British in July the previous year. The primitive minting conditions and hurried production of these coins is evident in their crudeness, with many examples showing weak and/or off-center strikes.

Post what you will, and I hope you enjoy the coin and pictures!​

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An Askari company ready to march in German East Africa (Deutsch-Ostafrika):


By Bundesarchiv, Bild 105-DOA3056 / Walther Dobbertin / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5482254


Askari soldiers under German command in 1896:


By Themistokles von Eckenbrecher - http://www.bassenge.com, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12176434


A streetscape photo of Dar es Salaam taken by Walther Dobbertin, c. 1906-1918:


By Bundesarchiv, Bild 105-DOA0162 / Walther Dobbertin / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5481570


Major P.J. Pretorius, thorn in the side of German East Africa and scout who was instrumental in locating and bringing down the SMS Königsberg:


https://www.shakariconnection.com/old-time-professional-hunter-books.html


German troops salvaging the Königsberg's guns:


By Bundesarchiv, Bild 105-DOA3100 / Walther Dobbertin / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5482298


Aerial photo of Königsberg after her scuttling; note the removal of her guns:


By Donor Imperial War Museum SP989 - This image is available from the Collection Database of the Australian War Memorial under the ID Number: H12427.


Belgo-Congolese troops of the Force Publique after the Battle of Tabora, 19 September 1916:


By Anonymous - http://www.be14-18.be/nl/defensie/de-oorlog-afrika, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63948839


Overview of the East African Campaign:


By Mehmet Berker - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8740713​

 

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Here's mine. As you say, it's not as well made as yours.

 

Awesome!

 

Nice! As you probably know there are a number of varieties of differing rarities. I believe mine is the most common. It looks like yours has a larger crown which is more scarce.

 

Thanks!

 

That is really cool, especially with the inset stone. I've been tempted by some WWI African campaign engraved coins, but as you say, they can be pricey.

 

I will have to check those out! I remember that last one, which is one of my favorite coin-related stories. Must have been incredibly rewarding to have been able to reconnect that piece of family history with the living descendants!

 

I only have a AV 15 Rupien from Deutsches Ostafrika

The "Bush Fox" Paul von Lettenow commander of Imperial forces remained "undefeated" 1914-18

 

"I only have" he says. That is a magnificent coin, also minted in Tabora. The Germans took greater care in minting the gold pieces than they did the brass and copper. I love that elephant on the obverse!

You are absolutely right about von Lettow-Vorbeck. He was a brilliant general who managed to consistently out-manouver and defeat the much larger Allied forces sent against him. He also was beloved of his askaris and seems to have had a real respect for them, something that wasn't all that common in colonial Africa.

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Thank you!

The Deutsches Neu Guinea AV 20 & 10 Marks were nicest German Colonial issues. I wish I could have them in my collection.
I do have 99% complete collection of German Cols & Overseas Post Offices though, these are nice too.
The Versailles so called Treaty took all our Colonies plus most other things. Reversal of Vienna 1815 Treaty with France. They were even allowed to keep all the art they looted in Austrian Lombardy-Venetia, ie: Mona Lisa.