R190.00
Colonial silver half-rupie issued in 1901 for German East Africa under Kaiser Wilhelm II, featuring the imperial German eagle and classic colonial-era design.
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The 1901 German East Africa ½ Rupie was issued for circulation in the German colony of German East Africa, which today largely forms part of modern Tanzania, along with areas of Rwanda and Burundi. The coin was struck during the reign of Wilhelm II, the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, whose rule coincided with the peak of Germany’s colonial expansion.
The obverse features a left-facing portrait of Emperor Wilhelm II in military attire, with the inscription “WILHELM II DEUTSCHER KAISER”, identifying him as the German Emperor. The portrait emphasises imperial authority and reflects the broader political influence Germany exercised over its colonial territories at the turn of the 20th century.
The reverse displays the imperial German eagle, crowned and bearing the shield of the German Empire on its chest. Beneath the eagle appears the denomination “½ RUPIE”, with the date 1901 below. The design closely mirrors the larger 1 Rupie issue, maintaining a consistent imperial motif across the colonial currency series.
The Rupie-based monetary system used in German East Africa reflected the long-standing Indian Ocean trade network and the widespread familiarity of the rupie denomination among merchants operating along the East African coast. Silver coins such as this circulated extensively in local trade and commerce.
Today, the German East Africa ½ Rupie is a highly collectible coin, valued for its historical connection to Germany’s colonial period and its distinctive imperial design.
Country: German East Africa
Ruler: Wilhelm II
Year: 1901
Denomination: ½ Rupie
Catalogue: KM#4
Composition: Silver (.917 fine)
Weight: approx. 5.83 g
Diameter: approx. 24 mm
Condition – G
(MB 12)










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