Introduction

The British settlements in Western India, South India, and the Eastern Province of Bengal (Calcutta) independently developed different coinages in consonance with the local acceptability of the coins for the purposes of trade. The coins of Bengal were developed in the Mughal style and those of Madras mostly in a South Indian style. The English coins of Western India developed along Mughal as well as English patterns. It was only in 1717 AD that the English obtained permission from the Emperor Farrukh Siyar to coin Mughal money at the Bombay mint. The British gold coins were termed Carolina, the silver coins Anglina, the copper coins Cupperoon and tin coins Tinny. By the early 1830, the English had become the dominant power in India. The Coinage Act of 1835 provided for uniform coinage throughout India. The new coins had the effigy of William IV on the obverse and the value on the reverse in English and Persian. The coins issued after 1840 bore the portrait of Queen Victoria. The first coinage under the crown was issued in 1862 and in 1877 Queen Victoria assumed the title the Empress of India. Acute shortage of silver during the First World War, led to the introduction of paper currency of One Rupee and Two and a half Rupees. The silver coins of smaller denominations were issued in cupro-nickel. The compulsion of the Second World War led to experiments in coinage where the standard rupee was replaced by the "Quaternary Silver Alloy". The Quaternary Silver coins were issued from 1940. In 1947 these were replaced by pure Nickel coins. Immediately after independence, the British coinage was continued. The Monetary System remained unchanged at One Rupee consisting of 64 pice, or 192 pies.

KING WILLIAM IIII (Till 1837)

William IV (1765-1837)





full name: William Henry
birth: 21-Aug-1765 at Buckingham House, London
father: King George III
mother: Queen Charlotte-Sophia
Died: 20-Jun-1837
Location of death: Windsor Castle, Berkshire, England









William IV, born August 21, 1765, was the third son of George III and Sophia.At the age of 13, William became a midshipman and began a career in the Royal Navy. In 1789, he was made Duke of Clarence. He retired from the Navy in 1790.

William succeeded his brother, George IV.On the 28th of June 1830 the death of King George IV placed him on the throne.He ascended the thrones of Great Britain, Ireland, and Hanover as King William IV on 26 June 1830, and was crowned on 8 September 1831.




In 1833 the Assay Master of the Calcutta Mint, James Prinsep, prepared and submitted to the Governor General in Council, Lord William Cavendish Bentinck who retired in March 1835, a project for reforming the weights and measures of the coins of British India. This was adopted in November 1833. The Governor General Sir Charles Metcalf passed the Act XVII on August 17, 1835.

The William two and one mohurs were struck for currency at the Calcutta Mint during 1835/6.



Gold:
Two mohurs: Comes in both grained and plain edge. Size: 32.5mm. Weight: 23.32 grams. Issued date: 1835.

One mohur: Comes in both grained and plain edge. Size: 26mm. Weight: 11.66 grams. Issued date: 1835. (Comes with RS and F incuse).



Silver:
One rupee: Grained edge. Size: 30.5/30.7 mm. Weight: 11.66 grams. Issue date: 1835. Comes with RS, F incuse, F raised and no incuse.

Half rupee: Grained edge. Size: 24.6/24.9 mm. Weight: 5.83 grams. Issue date: 1835. Comes with RS, F incuse, F raised and no incuse

Quarter rupee: Grained edge. Size: 19.4/20 mm. Weight: 2.91 grams. Issue date: 1840. (Types: Continuous and divided legends). . Comes with RS, F incuse, F raised and no incuse.



Copper:
Half anna: Plain edge. Size 29.5/31.2mm. Weight: 12.95 grams. Issue date: 1835 (Note: Obverse Coat of Arms of East India Company).

Quarter anna: Plain edge: Size: 25.3/26.2 mm. Weight: 6.47 grams. Issue date: 1835.

1/12th anna: Plain edge: Size: 17.5/17.9 mm. Weight: 2.16 grams. Issue date: 1835.



William silver coins were withdrawn from circulation in 1896. Half anna was withdrawn in 1964 while half pice and 1/12th anna were withdrawn in 1959.











William Half Rupee







William Quarter Rupee








William died a month after his niece, Victoria, had come of age, thus avoiding another regency






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East India Company – Coins of King William (1835)In 1833 the Assay Master of the Calcutta Mint, James Prinsep, prepared and submitted to the Governor General in Council, Lord William Cavendish Bentinck who retired in March 1835, a project for reforming the weights and measures of the coins of British India. This was adopted in November 1833. The Governor General Sir Charles Metcalf passed the Act XVII on August 17, 1835.
The William two and one mohurs were struck for currency at the Calcutta Mint during 1835/6.
Gold:Two mohurs: Comes in both grained and plain edge. Size: 32.5mm. Weight: 23.32 grams. Issued date: 1835.

One mohur: Comes in both grained and plain edge. Size: 26mm. Weight: 11.66 grams. Issued date: 1835. (Comes with RS and F incuse).

Silver: One rupee: Grained edge. Size: 30.5/30.7 mm. Weight: 11.66 grams. Issue date: 1835. Comes with RS, F incuse, F raised and no incuse.

Half rupee: Grained edge. Size: 24.6/24.9 mm. Weight: 5.83 grams. Issue date: 1835. Comes with RS, F incuse, F raised and no incuse

Quarter rupee: Grained edge. Size: 19.4/20 mm. Weight: 2.91 grams. Issue date: 1840. (Types: Continuous and divided legends). . Comes with RS, F incuse, F raised and no incuse.


Copper:Half anna: Plain edge. Size 29.5/31.2mm. Weight: 12.95 grams. Issue date: 1835 (Note: Obverse Coat of Arms of East India Company).

Quarter anna: Plain edge: Size: 25.3/26.2 mm. Weight: 6.47 grams. Issue date: 1835.

1/12th anna: Plain edge: Size: 17.5/17.9 mm. Weight: 2.16 grams. Issue date: 1835.


William silver coins were withdrawn from circulation in 1896. Half anna was withdrawn in 1964 while half pice and 1/12th anna were withdrawn in 1959.






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VICTORIA QUEEN (1837-1876)





Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and the first Empress of India from 1 May 1876, until her death on 22 January 1901. Her reign lasted sixty-three years and seven months, longer than that of any other British monarch.

The Victorian era was at the height of the Industrial Revolution, a period of significant social, economic, and technological change in the United Kingdom. Victoria's reign was marked by a great expansion of the British Empire and during the period it reached its zenith, becoming the formidable Global Power of the time.

Reign 20 Jun 1837 - 22 Jan1901
Coronation 28 June 1838
Predecessor William IV
Successor Edward VII



On 24 May 1837 Victoria turned 18, meaning that a regency would not be necessary. Four weeks later, Victoria was awoken by her mother to find that at 12 minutes past 2 a.m. on 20 June 1837, William IV had died from heart failure at the age of seventy-one. Victoria was now Queen of the United Kingdom.




The Queen married her first cousin, Prince Albert on 10 February 1840, at the Chapel Royal in St. James's Palace; four days before, Victoria granted her husband, who was born the same year as herself, the style His Royal Highness.

In 1887, the United Kingdom celebrated Victoria's Golden Jubilee. Victoria marked the fiftieth anniversary of her accession, 20 June 1887, with a banquet to which fifty European kings and princes were invited.

On 22 September 1896, Victoria surpassed George III as the longest reigning monarch in English, Scottish, and British history.




She died on the Isle of Wight, from a cerebral hemorrhage on 22 January 1901, at the age of 81.Victoria had reigned for a total of 63 years, seven months and two days — the longest reign in British history.She was buried at Windsor beside Prince Albert, in the Frogmore Royal Mausoleum, which she had built for their final resting place. Above the Mausoleum door are inscribed Victoria's words: 'farewell best beloved, here at last I shall rest with thee, with thee in Christ I shall rise again'

Victoria was succeeded by her eldest son, The Prince of Wales,as King Edward VII. Victoria's death brought an end to the rule of the House of Hanover in the United Kingdom


































































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VICTORIA EMPRESS (1877-1901)

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KING EDWARD VII (1903-1910)



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KING GEORGE V (1911-1936)







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KING GEORGE VI (1938-1947)


The Coins of British India
King George VI
(1938-1947)

After the death of King George V his son, who would have been King Edward VIII, abdicated before the coronation. 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.

After the price of silver started going up after the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the practice of hoarding silver coins became common. This led to reducing the use of silver in coins. The 1940 1/4-Rupee, 1/2-Rupee and One Rupee coins were reduced from 0.917 silver to 0.500 silver (there were a limited number of 1939 Rupees minted in 0.500 silver). Though not listed by Krause, D. Chakravarty reports 1940 1/4 Rupees exist in the earlier 0.917 silver version.

One Rupee (1938-1947)
Y-57/57a/60 KM-555/556/557/557a/559

The Rupee was minted in Calcutta, Bombay and Lahore in 0.917 silver, 0.500 silver and Nickel with a reeded edge and later a security edge. There is no mint mark for Calcutta. The Bombay issues have a small dot or diamond on the reverse under the ornate (the lotus flower) near the bottom of the coin .The Lahore mint used a small "L" in the same position. When the composition switched to Nickel in 1947 a completely different reverse (an Indian tiger) was introduced.

1/2 Rupee (1938-1947)
Y-56a/56b/59 KM-549/550/550a/552/553

The 1/2 Rupee was minted in Calcutta, Bombay and Lahore in 0.917 silver, 0.500 silver and Nickel with a reeded edge and later a security edge. There is no mint mark for Calcutta. The Bombay issues have a small dot or diamond on the reverse under the ornate (the lotus flower) near the bottom of the coin .The Lahore mint used a small "L" in the same position. When the composition switched to Nickel in 1946 a completely different reverse (an Indian tiger) was introduced.

1/4 Rupee (1911-1936)
Y-55a/55b KM-544/544a/545/ 546/547/548

The 1/4 Rupee was minted in Calcutta, Bombay and Lahore in 0.917 silver, 0.500 silver and Nickel with a reeded edge and later a security edge. There is no mint mark for Calcutta. The Bombay issues have a small dot or diamond on the reverse under the ornate (the lotus flower) near the bottom of the coin .The Lahore mint used a small "L" in the same position. When the composition switched to Nickel in 1946 a completely different reverse (an Indian tiger) was introduced. There are several varieties in the obverse and two major varieties of the ornate (lotus flower) on the reverse.

1 Pice (Bronze) 1943-1947
Y-51/51a KM-532/533

The 1 Pice coin was only minted for five years, but it has three crown different varieties and was made at four different mints. It's shape is also unique, with the hole in the center (sometimes referred to as a "washer" shape). The obverse varieties are recognized by the crown design on the obverse designated Round Crown (RC), High Crown (HC) and Flat Crown (FC). A second difference is the size of the lettering and date numerals, small (Y-51, KM-532) and large (Y-51a, KM-533). The mint is designated by a mint mark just under the date on the obverse: Calcutta (no mint mark), Bombay (large dot), Pretoria, South Africa (small dot) and Lahore (raised "L"). Krause indicates in 1944 the Bombay mm appears to be a large dot over a diamond. My 1943 Bombay appears to have a double dot.

1/2 Pice (Bronze) 1938-1942
Y-49/49a KM-528/529

The Second Head variety was only struck as proof or restrikes, so only the First Head is shown here. It was only struck for circulation 1939-1940. It is reported by Krause that it was also struck in 1938 but none have been found in circulation. The 1/2 pice was struck in Calcutta (no mint mark) and Bombay (dot below date on reverse).


1/12 Anna (Bronze) 1938-1942
Y-47/47a KM-526/527

The 1/12-anna comes in two obverse varieties, First Head and Second Head. It is interesting that both varieties were used in 1938 and 1939. For both varieties, the 1938 strikes were proofs or restrikes, not circulation coins. The 1/12-anna was only minted through 1942 and was then discontinued.















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