Do you remember the days when the coins were larger,the days when a 100 shilling note was enough to buy an entire week worth of shopping? A significant amount that was to be handled with caution. An amount that was only in your possession when mother sent you to the shop and it was always accompanied by a long shopping list. Funny enough, my mother used to safely tuck the amount in my pocket and I was warned not to talk to anyone on the way, let alone expose the money.

The days when a full loaf of bread was about 7 shillings, 300ml bottle of soda was 15 shillings inclusive of 5 shillings deposit. 1 kilogram of sugar was less than 30 shillings, bananas went for about 1 or 2 shillings a piece, tomatoes about 2 shillings a piece and a 500ml bottle of Tusker was 25 shillings, inclusive of 5 shillings deposit.

The days when misplacing the amount would stress you for an entire month.

Sad to say, those days are long gone. A “sock” (100 shillings)  today isn’t enough to buy much, much less take you to and from town. It has been reduced to mere pocket change, something given to little kids as pocket money.