A very interesting hand made silver spoon featuring a rare silver one Rupie (different spelling to differentiate it from the Indian Rupee) coin as the bowl..
In the latter part of the 19th century England and Germany dominated the eastern portion of the African continent.
Dr. Karl Peters, a founder of the German Colonization Society, concluded a series of treaties with local African chiefs.
Kaiser Wilhelm II accepted these somewhat spurious claims as valid and declared a protectorate over the area in 1885.
The German East Africa Company was created to administer the colony and create trade.
Prior to this the Austrian Thaler had been used as a unit of currency by the Arab traders and the African natives.
However, in 1891, the German East Africa Company created a series of coins which were to be used in the colony.
The largest value of the initial minting was the One rupie coin although at a later date a two rupie coin was created.
This initial minting of coins was quite small and this spoon was made as an enduring memento of the new coin series.
The German government eventually took control of the colony from the East Africa Company, but the coins were issued until 1904 when a new series of coins was created.
This style of handle was very popular at this point in history.
The back of the coin features the emblem of the German East Africa Company and is dated 1891
The Front of the coin features Kaiser Wilhelm II in
military dress, wearing a helmet with the Germanic eagle perched on top
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