Copper Two Annas of George V in 1918

George Frederick Ernest Albert, better known as King George V, ascended the British throne on 6 May 1910, succeeding his father, Edward VII. His reign continued until his death in 1936, encompassing a transformative period in the history of British India. As the Emperor of India, George V presided over significant political, economic, and monetary developments, including the modernization of the Indian coinage system. His portrait appeared on a wide range of circulating denominations, reflecting the continuity of imperial authority throughout the Indian subcontinent. Born during the reign of his grandmother, Queen Victoria, George V was originally not the direct heir to the throne, becoming king only after the death of his elder brother and the subsequent accession of his father.

The Two Annas denomination underwent a remarkable transition during George V's reign. Between 1911 and 1917, the denomination was struck in .917 fine silver and retained the traditional circular flan with a reeded edge. Owing to rising silver prices and wartime economic pressures during the First World War, the composition was fundamentally altered in 1918, when the coin was redesigned in copper-nickel. The new issue adopted a distinctive rectangular shape with rounded corners and a plain edge, making it one of the most recognizable and innovative circulating coins of British India. Production of the copper-nickel type continued until 1936, with both the Calcutta and Bombay Mints participating in its manufacture.

The 1918 copper-nickel Two Annas represents the inaugural year of this new rectangular series and is of particular numismatic importance. Official specimens were struck with a standard weight ranging from 5.51 to 5.76 grams, measuring approximately 21 × 25 mm. Coins of this date were produced at both principal Indian mints. The Calcutta Mint issues were struck without a mint mark, whereas the Bombay Mint pieces can be identified by a raised dot positioned below the Telugu inscription on the reverse. Examination of surviving examples also indicates that Bombay Mint specimens generally exhibit a marginally higher average weight than their Calcutta counterparts, providing an additional diagnostic characteristic for attribution.

An intriguing and highly unusual specimen has been observed in copper rather than the standard copper-nickel alloy. The illustrated example weighs 5.50 grams and closely matches the official dimensions of the regular 1918 issue. Notably, the coin lacks the Bombay mint dot, corresponding instead to the Calcutta Mint variety in its mint attribution. The combination of an official design, correct module, and copper composition strongly suggests the possibility of an off-metal strike or an experimental striking produced during the early stages of the 1918 transition from silver to copper-nickel coinage. Such pieces are exceptionally scarce and are of considerable interest to advanced collectors and researchers, as they provide valuable insight into the minting practices and metallurgical experimentation of the British Indian mints during a pivotal period in Indian numismatic history.