The mandrill is the largest monkey in the world, and on Somalia’s 2002 50 shillings it is shown full length, mid-stride. A curious detail: mandrills do not live in Somalia at all — their range lies on the other side of the continent, in southern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and parts of the Republic of the Congo.

The obverse carries crowned arms with supporters, the legend REPUBLIC OF SOMALIA and the value in two languages, the English SHILLINGS and the Italian SCELLINI. The nickel-clad steel coin was struck at the Kremnica Mint in Slovakia and is listed by Krause as KM# 111.

The issue belongs to the collector series of the early 2000s. According to Numista, Somali coins dated 1999–2002 were not official issues of the country and never circulated there, while Somalia’s last circulating coins came out in 1984. That is why collectors treat these pieces as a chapter of their own in Somali numismatics.

Uncirculated (UNC): the coin never circulated, shows no wear and keeps its mint lustre. A good fit for a primate-themed collection or a set of unusual Somali issues.

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