Unfamiliar Four Annas of George V in 1920

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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 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, later King Edward VII. His reign marked a period of substantial monetary reform in British India, during which several new denominations and coin designs were introduced. Today, the coinage of George V remains one of the most extensively researched series in British Indian numismatics because of its numerous die varieties, mint marks, and striking anomalies.

The Four Annas denomination was issued between 1919 and 1921 and was struck at both the Calcutta and Bombay Mints. These coins were manufactured in copper-nickel, featuring the distinctive scalloped octagonal shape with a plain edge. Official specifications include an average weight of approximately 6.8 grams, a diameter of 24 mm, and a thickness of about 1.6 mm. The obverse bears the left-facing crowned portrait of King George V surrounded by the English legend, while the reverse displays the denomination within a square, accompanied by inscriptions in Urdu, Bengali, Telugu, and Devanagari. Mint identification follows the standard British Indian convention: Calcutta issues carry no mint mark, whereas Bombay coins are identified by a raised dot beneath the Telugu inscription. Fresh examples generally exhibit a silvery appearance typical of copper-nickel alloys. As noted by Numista, certain issues contain a relatively high proportion of ferrous impurities, causing some specimens to develop a characteristic rust-brown patina over time.

The specimen described here differs substantially from the standard 1920 issue in both its physical characteristics and appearance. The coin exhibits a deep copper colour, rather than the usual silvery-grey finish expected of a copper-nickel alloy. It bears no mint mark, indicating a Calcutta Mint origin, while the portrait, legends, and general arrangement of the inscriptions correspond closely with those of the regular circulation issue.

More significant are the coin's physical measurements. The specimen weighs only 5.83 grams, nearly 1 gram lighter than the official standard. At the same time, it measures approximately 25 mm in diameter and 1.9 mm in thickness, making it about 1 mm larger in diameter and 0.3-0.4 mm thicker than a normal Four Annas. Despite these unusual dimensions, the lettering and principal design elements occupy the same relative positions as those on standard examples. The additional metal appears to have been distributed around the outer margins of both the obverse and reverse, producing a broader flan without altering the placement of the engraved dies.

The combination of a larger planchet, greater thickness, reduced weight, and deep copper colour is inconsistent with the published specifications for the regular 1920 Four Annas. While environmental alteration or corrosion can affect a coin's appearance, they are unlikely to account simultaneously for the observed changes in diameter, thickness, and weight. These characteristics instead suggest that the coin may have been struck on a non-standard planchet, an experimental blank, or another unintended metallic alloy. Alternatively, it could represent an unusual minting error associated with planchet preparation or metal composition.




 

I love to collect coins, specially British Indian coins

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