India - British Rule - King GeorgeVI

King Geroge VI (Ruled 1937-1947):

After the death of King George V his son, who would have been King Edward VIII, abdicated ( gave up) the throne. No coins were minted using his portrait. His brother the Duke of York was crowned King George VI in May 1937 and the first coin of India with his effigy was minted in 1938. Since then King George VI was the Emperor of India until 1947 when India became Independent country. Hence he is know as the last emperor of India.

Click King George VI for more details.

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Below are some of the coins I am fortunate to possess from the reign of George VI.

1 Pice = 1/4 Anna = 1/64 Rupee (1/64)

1 Anna = 4 Paise/Pice = 1/16 Rupee (1/16)

1 Rupee = 16 Annas  

1 Pice - Round Crown

1 Pice - Round Crown

 Year: 1943
Metal: Bronze
Weight: 2 gm
Diameter: 21.32 mm

This coin has small legend and small date on its reverse i.e. font size of legend and date is smaller than the other types of 1 Pice coins.

  



  

1 Pice - High Crown 

1Pice - High Crown

 Year: 1943-1947
Metal: Bronze
Weight: 2 gm
Diameter: 21.32 mm

This coin has large legend and large date on its reverse.

Mint Marks:

• / ♦ - Mumbai (Bombay): diamond dot or “large” round dot. On the issues dated 1944 the   mint mark appears to be a large round dot over a diamond
  - Calcutta: no mint mark
L - Lahore: raised “L” below the date
· - Pretoria, South Africa: small round dot below the date

1 Pice - Flat Crown

1 Pice - Low Crown



Year: 1943-1947
Metal: Bronze
Weight: 2 gm
Diameter: 21.32 mm

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 1/2 Anna

Years: 1946-1947
Metal: Copper-nickel
Weight: 2.87 gm
Diameter: 19.7 mm
Engraver: Percy Metcalfe (obverse)

Note:

Calcutta Mint: a dot before and after INDIA.

Mumbai (Bombay)Mint: a small dot in the center of the dashes before and after the date on the reverse as well as a dot before and after INDIA.

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1 Anna

1 Anna - 1st Portrait, Big Head, High Relief

Years: 1938-1940
Metal: Copper-nickel
Weight: 3.7 gm
Diameter: 20 mm
Engraver: Percy Metcalfe (obverse)
Shape: Scalloped (with 12 notches)

Obverse features Crowned head of George VI facing left along with the lettering 'GEORGE VI KING EMPEROR'.

Reverse features the Denomination and date within floral border along with the lettering "One Anna" in Urdu, Telugu, Nagari and Bengali.

1 Anna - 2nd portrait, Small head, Small Crown, Low Relief

Years  1946-1947
Weight  3.87 g

Distinguish between First Head with high relief and Second Head with low relief:

In First Head the two fleurs de lis on the royal crown are larger and extend upward to touch the beaded crest at the top of the crown, while the two fleurs de lis on the crown of the Second Head are smaller and extended upward to touch only the line on the crown below the beaded crest.



First Head with High Relief                Second Head wth Low Relief



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 2 Annas

 Years: 1946-1947
Metal: Copper-nickel
Weight: 5.9 gm
Diameter: 22 mm
Thickness: 1.5 mm
Engraver: Percy Metcalfe (obverse)

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Silver: Half Rupee

Years: 1942-1945
Metal: Silver (.500)
Weight: 5.84 gm
Diameter: 24.1 mm
Engraver: Percy Metcalfe (obverse)

Obverse features Small second head, large rim decoration.
Reverse features Denomination and inner circle smaller.

George VI Rupees were minted for the first time in 1938 in Silver. However at that time the prices of silver were rising so the minting switched to be in half silver. Then came the second world war in 1939. due to the double impact of rising silver cost and world war, the mintage of one rupee coins were stopped in that year. Hence the 1 rupee of 1939 is considered as the rarest 1 Rupee silver coin of King Geroge VI. The mintage of the rupees was continued as usual in half silver for a few years. However the silver prices kept rising so ultimately the government had to stop minting silver coins and start minting the rupee and other coins in nickel, starting from 1943.

The nickel rupee of George VI is shown below.

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Tiger Rupee (1946-47)

These coins are struck in nickel. Left most is of 1 Rupee, middle one is of Half Rupee and the last one is of Quarter Rupee. The reverse side of all 3 coins shows the respective denomination written in Hindi, English and Urdu. It also shows walking Indian tiger.

Obverse side of all 3 coins shows the portrait of George VI King Emperor. Albert Frederick Arthur George (George VI) was the Emperor of England from 11 Dec 1936 to 6 Feb 1952, when he died. He was the last king of India until 1947. Hence this series coins are considered as one of last coins of British India.

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