Small Two Annas of George V in 1934

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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 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, King Edward VII. His reign witnessed substantial developments in the coinage of British India, particularly in response to changing economic conditions and the increasing demand for more durable and cost-effective circulating coinage.

The Two Annas denomination underwent a significant transformation during George V's reign. From 1911 to 1917, it was struck in 0.917 fine silver with the traditional circular design. Beginning in 1918, the denomination was redesigned in copper-nickel, adopting the distinctive rectangular shape with rounded corners and a plain edge, a design that remained in circulation until 1936. Production was undertaken at both the Calcutta and Bombay Mints. Calcutta issues were struck without a mint mark, whereas Bombay Mint coins can be identified by a raised dot beneath the Telugu inscription on the reverse.

The 1934 copper-nickel Two Annas was officially produced to a standard module of approximately 21.2 × 21.2 mm, with a weight of about 5.81 grams and a thickness of approximately 1.8 mm. According to the principal references on British Indian coinage, only the Calcutta Mint struck the Two Annas in 1934, and consequently all genuine circulation pieces are expected to be without a mint mark. The absence of a Bombay issue makes the date comparatively straightforward in terms of mint attribution.

An unusual specimen examined during this study displays several physical characteristics that differ significantly from the recorded standard. The coin measures approximately 20.9 × 20.9 mm, noticeably smaller than the official specification, with a reduced thickness of approximately 1.5 mm and a weight of only 4.59 grams. Despite these differences, the reverse bears no Bombay mint dot, corresponding to the recognised Calcutta Mint issue. A further distinguishing feature is the comparatively bold and thicker lettering, which differs from that seen on regular 1934 Calcutta specimens and suggests the use of a different die or engraving style.

One of the most noteworthy characteristics of this specimen is the presence of an additional raised dot on the obverse beneath the bust of King George V. This feature is absent from officially documented 1934 Two Annas and does not correspond to any recognised mint mark or design element. Its position and appearance indicate that it may represent a die flaw, die chip, or an unintended punch mark formed during die preparation or as a consequence of die deterioration. Alternatively, it may reflect a previously undocumented die variety, particularly if identical examples can be identified from the same die pair.

The combination of reduced dimensions, lower weight, thinner flan, thicker lettering, and the extra obverse dot distinguishes this specimen from the standard 1934 Calcutta issue. These characteristics are not readily explained by circulation wear or post-mint damage and instead suggest an unusual minting event, such as striking on an undersized planchet, an experimental or trial striking, or another previously unrecorded manufacturing anomaly. Detailed die-link analysis, metallurgical examination, and comparison with authenticated examples would be necessary to establish its precise origin.

If supported by additional specimens and technical examination, this anomalous 1934 Two Annas could represent a previously undocumented die variety or striking anomaly within the George V copper-nickel series. Such discoveries are valuable to numismatic research because they enhance the understanding of mint production practices and demonstrate that even well-documented British Indian coinage continues to yield new and significant varieties for scholarly investigation.

Earlier I wrote about small two annas of 1920 on below article-

https://zhkcoinalbum.blogspot.com/2022/10/small-two-annas-of-george-v-on-1920.html





I love to collect coins, specially British Indian coins

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