20 shillings 1973 specimen
Market Prices
3 salesAbout This Note
This is an uncirculated 1973 Bank of Uganda 20 shillings specimen note (Pick-7as), featuring a striking portrait of President Idi Amin Dada in full military dress uniform on the obverse and the Bank of Uganda building in Kampala on the reverse. The note displays exceptional condition with sharp, clear printing throughout and the characteristic red 'SPECIMEN' overprint stamp diagonally applied across both sides, making it a desirable collector's piece of an important—if historically contentious—African banknote from Uganda's post-independence era.
Common. While specimen notes command higher prices than circulated examples, this 20 shillings 1973 issue was produced in substantial quantities as a regular circulation note. Secondary market data shows EF grades selling for modest prices ($1.25–$66.78 range on eBay), and even UNC catalog values of $300 reflect specimen premium rather than scarcity. The note is readily available to collectors, particularly in specimen form.
This note was issued during the early years of Idi Amin's military regime in Uganda, following his 1971 coup. The obverse portrait of Amin in military uniform reflects the militarization of Uganda's government during this period, while the reverse depicts the Bank of Uganda building in Kampala as a symbol of the nation's financial institution. The bilingual inscriptions in English and Swahili reflect Uganda's colonial heritage and regional linguistic identity in East Africa.
The obverse features a formal three-quarter portrait of President Idi Amin Dada positioned at the left, rendered in military uniform with peaked cap, military insignia on the shoulder, and formal insignia. The reverse depicts the Bank of Uganda's headquarters building in Kampala—a modern multi-story institutional structure with a distinctive grid window pattern, columned base, and flanking trees representing the nation's financial authority. Both sides incorporate ornamental guilloche engraving, decorative rosette medallions in all corners, and geometric patterns throughout. The color scheme of pink/mauve on the obverse and beige/cream with pink on the reverse reflects the aesthetic conventions of 1970s East African currency design.
Front: 'BANK OF UGANDA' (English), 'TWENTY SHILLINGS' (English), 'SHILLINGI ISHIRINI' (Swahili—Twenty Shillings), 'LEGAL TENDER FOR TWENTY SHILLINGS', 'FOR BANK OF UGANDA', 'GOVERNOR', 'DIRECTOR', Serial number 'B 0000000' (specimen). Back: 'BANK OF UGANDA' (English), '20' (denomination numeral), 'TWENTY SHILLINGS SHILING ISHIRINI' (English and Swahili—Twenty Shillings).
Intaglio engraving (line engraving/copperplate), evidenced by the intricate guilloche patterns, fine-line details in the portrait and architectural rendering, and the precise geometric borders observed throughout. The note displays the hallmarks of high-security currency production standard for central bank issues of this era. The printer for Bank of Uganda notes of this period was typically a specialized currency security printer (likely De La Rue or similar establishment printer), though specific attribution would require additional documentation.
This note is catalogued as Pick-7as (the 's' suffix denotes specimen status). The PMG population reports three variants (P-7a, P-7b, and P-7s) distinguished by watermark and design characteristics. The specimen designation confirms this is a non-circulating, overprinted presentation example issued for banking and official purposes rather than public circulation. The serial number prefix 'B' with all zeros is consistent with specimen printing protocols of the era.
