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Cultural Context

currency; exchange

Description

Round, reeded edge; crowned head with text around; lion with banner, text around. Obverse has head of Menelik II, facing right, wearing a crown, Ethiopian text around: "Menelik II. King of Kings of Ethiopia". Reverse has a crowned lion facing left, holding a banner, Ethiopian text around: “He is triumphant, the lion of the tribe of Judah”. Text under lion obliterated-shows smooth areas only.

History Of Use

Circulating besa coin, valued at 1/32 birr; birr is one silver dollar. The currency was introduced by Emperor Menelik II in an attempt to establish a national currency. It was not very successful as the population preferred the Maria Theresa dollar that had begun circulating in Ethiopia in the mid-to-late 1700s. The birr and its smaller denominations, such as this besa, did not circulate very widely, and Ethiopia continued importing the Maria Theresa dollars for several more decades. The coins depict Menelik II in profile with a crown, matching the depiction of monarchs on the coins of other countries, as well as coins from the kingdom of Aksum; symbolizing Ethiopia as both an ancient and modern power. This was a deviation from standard iconographic practices at the time, where only enemies of Ethiopia's Coptic faith were represented in profile. Overall, Menelik II had the coins minted with various symbols of royalty and pan-Ethiopian culture, as an attempt to build the idea of a unified nation. They functioned as a symbol of Ethiopia's unification and sovereignty when it's independence was at risk due to Italy's colonial ambitions. The coins were also used for jewellery and protective charms.