Case Study
The Modern Shilling
An exploration of how Kenya’s next generation currency could honour the 2010 constitution while reflecting the nation’s people, landscapes, and future.
- Type
- Speculative currency design
- Year
- 2018 concept
- Disciplines
- Graphic design, information design, storytelling
- Deliverables
- Note series, icon system, presentation deck
Designing currency without portraits.
Kenya’s 2010 constitution prohibits portraits of individuals on legal tender. Yet most notes continue to feature former presidents. I wanted to imagine a post-portrait shilling that answers two questions: what makes a note unmistakably Kenyan, and how can design reinforce shared identity?
The Modern Shilling series uses national symbols, language, and everyday moments rather than political figures. Landscapes, wildlife, infrastructure, and the people powering modern Kenya appear across denominations. The aim is to show a living culture, not a static museum of heroes.
This is a speculative study—no affiliation with the Central Bank of Kenya. It’s an invitation to consider the stories our money can tell when portraits step aside for the communities they serve.
Disclaimer: The Modern Shilling is concept art only. It is not legal tender and is not sanctioned by the Central Bank of Kenya or the Government of Kenya.
Research
- Study of global portrait-free note systems
- Public perception research on national symbols
Design
- Concept note series across key denominations
- Iconography for landscapes and people
- Colour system balancing security printing cues with vibrancy
Impact
- Sparked conversation on inclusive national imagery
- Used in talks on design storytelling
- Reinforced the role of designers in civic imagination
- Warranted public statement from CBK spokesperson