A Rare 1947 OMS Half Rupee

Albert Frederick Arthur George, known as George VI, was born on 14 December 1895 and reigned as King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his passing on 6 February 1952. He also held the title of Emperor of India until the British Raj came to an end in August 1947.

During the reign of George VI, half rupee coins were produced at the mints in Calcutta, Bombay, and Lahore, featuring compositions that evolved over time—from 91.7% silver to 50% silver, and eventually to nickel. These coins typically weighed between 5.7 and 5.9 grams and measured approximately 24.0 to 24.4 mm in diameter. Initially, from 1938 to 1940 and again in 1946–1947, the coins featured a reeded (milled) edge, while from 1941 to 1945, a security edge was introduced.

Calcutta-minted coins carried no mint mark, distinguishing them from those of Bombay and Lahore. Bombay issues are identifiable by a small dot or diamond beneath the lotus design on the reverse, whereas Lahore pieces bear a small “L” in the same location. A major design shift occurred in 1946 with the transition to nickel; the reverse was redesigned to depict an Indian tiger, replacing the earlier floral motif.

Although historical records and numismatic references document only nickel half rupee coins minted in Bombay in 1947, I have come across examples of 1947 half rupees struck in copper. These coins exhibit weights of 5.68g, 5.86g, and 5.35g respectively, each with a diameter of 24.0mm and a milled edge. Such pieces are generally classified as Off Metal Strike (OMS) copper coins—rare anomalies where coins are struck on an unintended metal blank, making them highly interesting to collectors.

A similar copper half rupee from 1947 has been recorded in reputable numismatic auctions. One example appeared in Marudhar Arts, listed as Lot #927, described as a "1947, King George VI, Off Metal Strike, Copper 1/2 Rupee, Bombay Mint (Unlisted in Pridmore), about very fine, Rare.". An identical listing, also under Lot #927, appeared on iCollector.com, featuring the same description and highlighting its rarity and off-metal composition. These examples support the existence of off-metal strikes in copper for the 1947 Bombay-mint half rupee, despite the absence of such issues in standard catalogs like Pridmore.