in east africa, arabia, and mesopotamia, the rupee and its related coins were current at various times. the usage of the rupee in east africa extended from somalia in the north, to as far south as natal. in mozambique, the british india rupees were overstamped. in kenya, the british east africa company minted the rupee and its fractions as well as pice. the rise in the price of silver, immediately after the first world war, caused the rupee to rise in value to two shillings sterling. in 1920 in british east africa, the opportunity was then taken to introduce a new florin coin, hence bringing the currency into line with sterling. shortly after that, the florin was split into two east african shillings. this assimilation to sterling did not however happen in british india itself. in somalia the italian colonial authority minted 'rupia' to exactly the same standard, and called the pice 'besa'.