Brief Somalian History
Somalia was known to the Egyptians at least 1,500 years BC. The region became strategically important after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. In 1888, Great Britain declared the area of British Somaliland a protectorate. Italian Somaliland was created in 1895 by purchase from the Sultan of Zanzibar. The two areas briefly combined from 1960, but there was a military revolution in 1969. Recent years have been marked by political instability. Somaliland in the northwest is an independent state but is unrecognised by Somalia and most other states. A transitional national government formed in 2000 has a mandate to create a new constitution and hold elections within three years.
The capital of Somalia is Mogadishu.

Somalian Gold Coins
The first Somalian gold coins were issued in 1965 to celebrate the fifth anniversary of independence. Other commemorative gold coins have been issued since. Somali coins are denominated in shillings, scellini in Italian (singular scellino), but also known as somalo, presumably the plural of somalo is somali.

1965 Proof Set
The proof gold set to commemorate the 5th anniversary of independence in 1965 was issued in 1965 and 1966. Its actual date of issue is shown very small on the right hand side of the reverse, whereas the dates 1960 - 1965 are shown very prominently on the obverse under the portrait of President Aden Abdullah Osman Daar.

Descriptions
Descriptions of the 1965 / 1966 gold proofs are as follows:-
Obverse
Bust of President Aden Abdullah Osman Daar facing, with the inscription:-
REPUBBLICA SOMALA
1960 - 1965
Reverse
Coat of arms of Somalia with the inscription:-
SCELLINI 500 (or other value) SHILLINGS
All the inscriptions are also shown in Arabic

Technical Specifications

Denomination	Diameter	Weight	Fineness	Gold Content
20 Shillings	17.75	2.8000	.900	.0810
50 Shillings	23.5	7.0000	.900	.2025
100 Shillings	27.5	14.0000	.900	.4051
200 Shillings	38	28.8000	.900	.8102
500 Shillings	49	70.0000	.900	2.0257
1965 Set		121.800	.900	3.5245

Prices & Availability
The prices quoted in the US $ column may be out of date due to currency fluctuations.

Date	Denomination	Grade	Mintage	Availability	Price £	Price $
1965	100 Shillings	Proof, about Unc	6,325	Yes	£120	$195
1966	20 Shillings	Proof, about Unc	6,325	Yes	£30	$50
1966	50 Shillings	Proof, about Unc	6,325	Yes	£60	$98
1966	100 Shillings	Proof, about Unc	6,325	Sold	£125	$200
1966	200 Shillings	Proof, about Unc	6,325	Sold	£240	$375
1966	500 Shillings	Proof, about Unc	6,325	Yes	£600	$950
1966	Set (5 Coins)	Proof, about Unc	6,325	Ask	£995	$1550

20 Shillings - World's Smallest Coins Collection

Postage & Packing
UK Registered Post (Special Delivery) £6 per order
EU Insured Post £10 per order
USA Airmail $10 per order
USA Insured Shipping $20 per order

Other Somalian Coins
For Somalian coins in silver or base metal, or Somalian coin sets other than gold, please look at the Somalian Coins page of our original website.

Coins Wanted
We make an active market in almost all world coins, gold or otherwise, including Somalian gold coins. If you have any of these coins to sell, please contact us, or post them to us for appraisal and offer.