TWO ANNAS

2 ANNAS

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

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

Coin in this denomination was issued for the first time in 1841.

Specifications

Years of issue – 1841

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

Weight –  22.5 grains (1.46 gms)

Shape –  Circular

Size –0.60” (15.3, 15.8 mm)

Edge – unmilled  plain

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

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, Madras

Km Number – # 459

Note:

i ) On Mint of issue –

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

No initial – Bombay or Calcutta mint issue

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

Specifications

Years of issue – 1841

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 – # 460

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 - 15.3 mm, 15.8 mm, 16 mm

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

Reverse – An ornamental circular wreath encloses the value of coin ‘TWO ANNAS’ in two lines in English only with ‘INDIA’ and year of issue shown below.

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

Km Number – # 469

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.

15.3 mm – Calcutta mint issue

15.8 mm – Bombay mint issue

16 mm – Madras mint issue. (The mint at Madras was closed in the year 1867)

ii). ‘VICTORIA EMPRESS’ (1877 – 1901)

Specifications

Years of issue – 1877 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, 1879, 1881 to 1894, 1896 to 1898, 1900, 1901), Calcutta(1877 to 1898, 1900, 1901)

Km Number – # 488

            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 – Royal Crown shown on the top. Denomination 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 – # 505

            All other specifications same as above previous issue.

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

a)    Silver Issue

Specifications

Years of issue – 1911 to 1917

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

Rev – An ornamental circular wreath encloses the value of coin ‘TWO ANNAS’ in English & Persian with ‘INDIA’ and year of issue shown above Persian script.

Minted at – Bombay(1912 to 1915), Calcutta(1911 to 1917)

Km Number – # 514, 515

            All other specifications same as 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 – 1918 to 1920, 1923 to 1930, 1933 to 1936

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

Weight –  90 grains (5.83 gms)

Shape –  Square with rounded corners

Size – 0.85” across two flats, 1” across diagonal (21.4 - 25.3 mm)

Edge – plain

Obv –  Legend ‘GEORGE  V KING EMPEROR’ around the Crowned bust of King George  V, enclosed inside a 2 lined circle. Lotus with buds is shown on the top corner, ‘INDIA’ is inscribed on the bottom corner. The first two digits of the date appear on the left corner and last two digits of the date appear on the right corner.

Rev – The value of the coin is shown in 5 languages – ‘2 ANNAS’ in English at the center, in Persian at the top corner, in Hindi at the left corner, in Bengali  at the right corner and in Telugu at the bottom corner.

Minted at – Bombay(1918, 1923 to 1928, 1935, 1936), Calcutta(1918 to 1920, 1923 to 1930, 1933 to 1935)

Km Number – # 516

Note:

i). Mint Marks: -

a) Bombay Mint – Dot below Telegu inscription.

b) Calcutta Mint – No dot present.

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

c)    In Cupro – Nickel

Specifications

Years of issue – 1939 to 1941, 1946, 1947

Obv –  Legend ‘GEORGE  VI KING EMPEROR’ around the Crowned bust of King George  V, enclosed inside a dotted circle.

Rev – The value of this coin is shown in 5 languages inside two overlapping scallops (4 numbers). The value is shown in English ‘ANN2AS’, in the center, in Persian on top, in Hindi on left, in Bengali on right and in Telugu on bottom, inside this scalloped design, which is  enclosed inside a dotted circle. The year of issue is shown over the Telugu script.

Minted at – Bombay(1939 to 1941, 1947), Calcutta(1939 to 1941, 1946, 1947), Lahore(1946)

Km Number – # 540, 541, 542

            All other specifications same as previous King George V, Cupro- Nickel issue.

Note :

i). Mint Marks: -

a) Bombay Mint – Dot on both sides of date.

b) Calcutta Mint – No mint mark.

              c) Lahore Mint --  ‘L’ around central design.

d)    In Nickel – Brass

Specifications

Years of issue – 1942 to 1945

Metal composition –  Nickel – Brass alloy (79% Copper + 20% Zinc + 1% Nickel)

Minted at – Bombay(1942 to 1945), Calcutta(1944, 1945), Lahore(1944)

Km Number – # 543

            All other specifications same as previous issue.

Note :

i). Mint Marks: -

a) Bombay Mint – Dot on both sides of date.

b) Calcutta Mint – No mint mark.

              c) Lahore Mint --  ‘L’ around central design.