5 Heller German East Africa (1885-1919) Copper/Nickel

1914, German East Africa (DOA). Copper-Nickel 5 Heller Coin.

Mint Date: 1914 Reference: KM-13. Denomination: 5 Heller Mint Place: Hamburg (J) State: German East Africa (DOA) Material: Copper-Nickel Diameter: 21mm Weight: 3,13gm

Obverse: Large crown of the German Empire with ribbons above above central hole, which splitts date (1914). Legend: DEUTSCH OST-AFRIKA ("German East Africa")

Reverse: Value (5) above central hole, flanked by olive-sprays. Denomination (HELLER) and mint initial (J) below.

German East Africa (German: Deutsch-Ostafrika) was a German colony in East Africa, including what are now Burundi, Rwanda and Tanganyika (the mainland part of present Tanzania). It measured 994,996 km² (384,170 square miles) in size, nearly three times the size of re-united Germany today.

The colony came into existence during the 1880s and ended with the conclusion of World War I, when the territory was taken over by the British and Belgians and later converted to mandates of the League of Nations.