Half Rupee of George V in 1936 with Broken “3”

George Frederick Ernest Albert, better known as King George V, reigned as King of the United Kingdom, the British Dominions, and Emperor of India from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother, Queen Victoria, he was the second son of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, and ascended the throne following the death of his father, Edward VII. His reign witnessed important developments in the coinage of British India, although the Half Rupee retained its traditional silver composition and circular format throughout the entire George V series, making it one of the most stable denominations of the period.

The Half Rupee was struck continuously in 0.917 fine silver from 1911 to 1936 at the Calcutta and Bombay Mints. The denomination maintained its standard circular design and official specifications, with the two mints distinguished only by their mint identification. Calcutta Mint issues bear no mint mark, whereas Bombay Mint coins are identified by a raised dot positioned beneath the lowest lotus flower on the reverse. These subtle mint distinctions provide an important basis for attributing specimens and studying die varieties within the George V Half Rupee series.

The 1936 Half Rupee is of particular historical importance as it represents the final issue of King George V before the accession of George VI later that year. Official records indicate that the denomination was struck at both the Calcutta and Bombay Mints, with all circulation pieces featuring a milled edge. While the overall design remained unchanged from previous years, the final year of issue offers an opportunity to examine late die states and minor engraving anomalies that developed as production continued.

An interesting die variety has been identified on a 1936 Calcutta Mint Half Rupee, distinguished by a broken numeral "3" in the date. The absence of the Bombay mint dot confirms its attribution to the Calcutta Mint, while the coin itself is preserved in good condition, showing no evidence of excessive wear that could account for the damaged appearance of the numeral. The defect is therefore unlikely to be the result of circulation and instead appears to originate from the working die used during striking.

The broken "3" is most plausibly explained as a die defect, caused either by deterioration of the date punch, a crack or chip in the working die, or incomplete filling of the engraved numeral during die preparation. Such die-related varieties are of considerable interest to specialists because they document different stages in the life of a die and help establish die sequences within a particular issue. If additional specimens exhibiting the same broken numeral can be identified, this feature may represent a previously undocumented die variety of the 1936 Calcutta Half Rupee, adding another collectible and research-worthy variety to the final year of George V's silver coinage in British India.