Unusual Half Pice in 1903

King Edward VII, the eldest son of Queen Victoria, ascended the throne in 1901 following her death on 22 January of that year. The Indian coinage bearing his portrait, known as the Edward VII series, was issued between 1903 and 1910. A notable feature of these coins is the uncrowned effigy of the king. Since the master dies were prepared before his coronation on 9 August 1902, his image appeared without the crown.

The Half Pice issued under King Edward VII was among the smallest denominations in circulation during British India. Minted between 1903 and 1910, the coin marked the shift in design style that followed the end of Queen Victoria’s reign. On the obverse, it featured an uncrowned portrait of Edward VII, a distinctive trait of his coinage since the master dies were created prior to his coronation. The reverse side displayed the denomination in both English and vernacular scripts, encircled by a decorative wreath, along with the year of issue.

Though carrying minimal value, equal to 1/192 of a Rupee, the Half Pice served an essential role in daily trade, particularly in small-scale market transactions where fractional currency was indispensable. Production mainly took place at the Calcutta mints, and the coins not only supported local commerce but also symbolized the presence of imperial authority in colonial India.

The Half Pice of British India bearing the name of King Edward VII was first introduced in 1903. It was struck in bronze, with a standard diameter of 21.2 mm and a weight of 3.24 g. However, the specimen I have (shown in the figure below) measures 21.0 mm in diameter and weighs 3.17 g. Interestingly, it also appears to have a silver-like surface. However, if the coin had truly been silver-coated, its weight would be expected to increase. In this case, the coin was found to be lighter than the standard issue with a smaller diameter. Also slightly different ‘E’ of PICE was observed.



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