1/4 RUPEE (4 ANNAS)

¼  RUPEE (FOUR ANNAS)

(A) - Issues under the Company. 1835 – 1858

i). ‘WILLIAM IIII KING. (1835 – 1837)

This coin was first issued on 1st September, 1835.

Specifications

Years of issue – 1835

Metal composition –  Silver (11/12^th fineness– i.e. 11/12^th  of pure silver + 1/12^th of alloy.)

Weight –  45 grains (1/4 Tola) (2.92 gms)

Shape –  Circular

Diameter – 0.75” (19.0 mm)

Edge –milled

Obv –  Effigy of William IV with legend ‘WILLIAM’ on left periphery and ‘IIII, KING.’ on right periphery.

Rev – On the center, the denomination of the coin is indicated in both English and Persian, encircled by a laurel. The legend, “EAST INDIA COMPANY” appears at the top periphery. The year of issue is shown on the bottom.

Minted at – Bombay, Calcutta

Km Number – # 448

Note:

i)               On Mint of issue – During this period, no mint mark was applied on any coin to indicate the mint of issue. The initials of mint masters in microscopic letters were stamped on the gold and silver coins at the truncation of the royal head. These initials helped to identify the product of different mints. These initials are --- F (incused or raised), RS incused, No initial.

F (incused or raised) – Calcutta mint issue – (‘F’ stood for Major General William Forbes, Master of Calcutta Mint) 

R.S incuse – Madras mint issue – (‘R.S’ stood for Robert Saunders, Master of Madras Mint)

No initial – Bombay mint issue

ii). ‘VICTORIA QUEEN’ – First Series – Continuous Legend (1837 – 1858)

Specifications

Years of issue – 1840

Size – 19.5, 19.7 mm

Obv –  Uncrowned head of Victoria Queen with Continuous legend ‘VICTORIA QUEEN ’ on top periphery over her head.

Minted at – Bombay, Calcutta, Madras

Km Number – # 453

All other specifications same as previous William IV issue.

Note:

i ) On Mint of issue –

S incuse – Madras mint issue – (Robert Saunders, Master of Madras Mint)

No initial – Bombay or Calcutta mint issue

iii). ‘VICTORIA QUEEN’ – Second Series –– Divided Legend (1837 – 1858)

Specifications

Years of issue – 1840

Obv –  Uncrowned head of Victoria Queen, with legend written in two parts, ‘VICTORIA’ to the left of royal head and ‘QUEEN ’ to the right.

Minted at – Bombay, Calcutta,  Madras

Km Number – # 454

All other specifications same as previous issue.

Note:

i ) On Mint of issue –

WWB, BWW – Bombay mint issue

No initial or WW incuse – Calcutta mint issue

WWS, SWW – Madras mint issue

(B)       -  Issues under the Crown. 1858 – 1947

i). ‘VICTORIA QUEEN’ (1858 – 1876)

Specifications

Years of issue – 1862, 1874 to 1876

Size – 19.2 mm, 19.8 mm, 20 mm

Obv –  Crowned bust of Victoria Queen, with legend ‘VICTORIA’ on left periphery and QUEEN ’ on right periphery.

Rev – An ornamental circular wreath encloses the value of coin ‘1/4 RUPEE’ in two lines in English, with ‘INDIA’ and year of issue shown below. Value in Persian is not shown.

Minted at – Bombay(1862, 1874 to 1876), Calcutta(1862, 1874 to 1876),  Madras(1862)

Km Number – # 470

All other specifications same as previous issue.

Note:

a) Mint of Issue: As there is no mint mark present on the issues from different mints, the mint of issue can only be attributed by measuring the size of the coin.

19.2 mm – Calcutta mint issue

19.8 mm – Bombay mint issue

20 mm – Madras mint issue

The mint at Madras was closed in the year

ii). ‘VICTORIA EMPRESS’ (1877 – 1901)

Specifications

Years of issue – 1877 to 1894, 1896 to 1898, 1900, 1901

Obv –  Crowned bust of Empress Victoria, with legend ‘VICTORIA’ on left periphery and ‘EMPRESS ’ on right periphery.

Minted at – Bombay(1877, 1881 to 1894, 1897, 1898), Calcutta(1877 to 1891, 1893, 1894, 1896 to 1898, 1900, 1901)

Km Number – # 490

            All other specifications same as previous issue.

iii). King Edward VII. (1901 - 1910)

Specifications

Years of issue – 1903 to 1910

Obv –  Uncrowned head of Edward VII, with continuous legend ‘EDWARD VII KING AND EMPEROR’ written on the periphery.

Rev – The Royal Crown is shown on the top. Denomination is shown in English and Persian in the center. Date at the bottom, flanked by sprays on both sides.

Minted at – Bombay(1910), Calcutta(1903 to 1910)

Km Number – # 506

            All other specifications same as above previous issue.

iv). King George V. (1910 - 1936)

a)    Silver Issue

Specifications

Years of issue – 1911 to 1919, 1925, 1926, 1928 to 1930, 1934, 1936

Obv –  Legend ‘GEORGE  V KING EMPEROR’ around the Crowned bust of King George  V.

Rev – A floral circular wreath encloses the value of coin in English and Persian. Year of issue is shown above the Persian inscription.

Minted at – Bombay(1912 to 1915, 1925, 1928, 1936), Calcutta(1911 to 1919, 1926, 1929, 1930, 1934, 1936)

Km Number – # 518

            All other specifications same as above previous SILVER issues.

Note:

i). Mint Marks: -

a) Bombay Mint – Dot below lower flower design on reverse.

b) Calcutta Mint – No dot present.

b)    Cupro – Nickel Issue

Specifications

Years of issue – 1919 to 1921

Metal composition – Cupro Nickel alloy(75% Copper + 25% Nickel)

Weight –  105 grains (6.80 gms)

Shape –  Scalloped(8 numbers)

Diameter – 1” (25.4 mm) across two opposite corners

Edge – Plain

Obv – Crowned bust of King George V, is enclosed inside a circle. Legend ‘GEORGE  V KING EMPEROR’ ‘INDIA’ and year of issue is inscribed in the periphery around the circle.

Rev – The value ‘4 ANNAS’ in English is shown inside a square in two lines. Value in Persian is shown on the top, in Hindi on the left, in Telugu on the bottom and in Bengali on the right periphery.

Minted at – Bombay, Calcutta

Km Number – # 519

Note:

i). Mint Marks: -

a) Bombay Mint – Dot below Telegu inscription.

b) Calcutta Mint – No dot present.

v). King George VI. (1936 - 1947)

a)    Silver Issue

Specifications

Years of issue – 1939, 1940

Metal composition –  Silver (11/12^th fineness– i.e. 11/12^th  of pure silver + 1/12^th of alloy.)

Weight –  45 grains (1/4 Tola) (2.91 gms)

Shape –  Circular

Diameter – 0.75” ( 19.5 mm)

Edge – Milled

Obv –  Legend ‘GEORGE  VI KING EMPEROR’ around the Crowned head of King George  VI.

Minted at – Bombay(1939, 1940), Calcutta(1939)

Km Number – # 544

            All other specifications same as King George V silver issue.

Note :

i). Mint Marks: -

a) Bombay Mint – Diamond/Dot below bottom flower on reverse.

b) Calcutta Mint – No mint mark.

b)    Quaternary alloy Issue

Specifications

Years of issue – 1940, 1942 to 1945

Metal composition –  Quaternary Alloy ( 50% Silver, 40% Copper, 5% Nickel, 5% Zinc)

Edge – Security(Bombay issues from 1943 to 1945), all other issues milled edge

Minted at – Bombay(1940, 1943 to 1945), Calcutta(1940, 1942, 1943), Lahore(1943 to 1945)

Km Number – # 545, 546, 547

            All other specifications same as previous silver issue.

Note :

i). Mint Marks: -

a) Bombay Mint – Diamond/Dot below bottom flower on reverse.

b) Calcutta Mint – No mint mark.

       c) Lahore Mint --  ‘L’ below bottom flower on reverse.

c)    Nickel Issue

Specifications

Years of issue – 1946, 1947

Metal composition –  Pure Nickel

Edge –milled

Rev – A stalking tiger appears in the center with ‘INDIA’ and the date of issue, is shown below it. The value ‘QUARTER RUPEE’ in Hindi, English and Persian appears around the periphery.

Minted at – Bombay, Lahore

Km Number – # 548

            All other specifications same as previous issue.

Note :

i). Mint Marks: -

a) Bombay Mint – Small Diamond/Dot below date.

b) Lahore Mint – Large Diamond/Dot below date.