The Rare 1945 Half Rupee of George VI

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Albert Frederick Arthur George, better known as King George VI, reigned as the King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He also held the historic title of the last Emperor of India, a position he retained until August 1947, when the British Raj came to an end with the partition of India and the birth of two independent nations.

During his reign, the Half Rupee coin underwent notable variations in both metal composition and design, reflecting the economic and political transformations of the era. These coins were struck at the Calcutta, Bombay, and Lahore mints, in different alloys, 0.917 silver, 0.500 silver, and later Nickel, and maintained a standard weight ranging between 5.7 g and 5.9 g, with a diameter of approximately 24.0 mm to 24.4 mm.

The edges of the coins also changed over time. From 1938 to 1940, and again in 1946–1947, the coins carried a reeded (milled) edge. However, between 1941 and 1945, a security edge was introduced, possibly to curb counterfeiting and to give the coins a distinct tactile feature.

Each mint left subtle identifying marks. Coins from the Calcutta Mint bore no mint mark, remaining plain. The Bombay Mint distinguished its issues with a small dot or diamond on the reverse, positioned beneath the lotus flower at the bottom of the coin. In contrast, the Lahore Mint used a discreet ‘L’ in the same location.

A major shift occurred in 1946, when the composition switched from silver to Nickel, signaling both rising silver prices and wartime economic constraints. With this transition came a dramatic design change, the reverse now featured a majestic Indian tiger, symbolizing strength, independence, and a step toward the subcontinent’s changing destiny.

However, I found a light golden-colored Half Rupee of 1945 with security edge, as shown in the figure below. Its dimensions and thickness are the same, but the weight is significantly higher at 5.99 g. The coin bears a dot, like the Bombay mint issues. All letters and patterns appear identical, except for the numeral '5.' It may possibly be an OMS variety.



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