At the same time that Arnhemland’s African coins were being minted in Kilwa one thousand years ago, England was minting western Europe’s finest coins

At the same time that Arnhemland’s African coins were being minted in Kilwa one thousand years ago, England was minting western Europe’s finest coins. There were similarities in the designs. Both sets of coins featured the name of the king or sultan, like Ethelred the Unready or Khalid Bin Bakr, and references to religion, either Christianity or Islam. However, there was one major difference. While the Kilwa coins stayed in circulation for centuries (based on the value of the metal), the English coins were only legal tender for several years. It was a form of taxation on the English people. You would return your coins to the mint and for every ten you deposited you would get eight or nine of the newly issued coins.