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1/2 Cent - Victoria
| Issuer | Straits Settlements |
|---|---|
| Year | 1872-1883 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Large fractional numeral '1/2' occupies the centre of the field, enclosed within a beaded inner circle. The legend STRAITS SETTLEMENTS arcs around the upper periphery between the beaded and toothed outer borders, while the denomination HALF CENT and the date appear along the lower arc. A raised dot punctuates the legend on each side. The overall design is simple and bold, emphasising legibility. |
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| Additional information |
The Straits Settlements half cent was produced for a colonial economy where small fractional coinage actually mattered — the purchasing power of the laboring class made sub-cent denominations genuinely useful rather than ceremonial. The 1872 issue marked the transition following the Crown Colony's transfer from East India Company administration to direct British Crown control in 1867, a reorganization that brought currency standardization in its wake.
KM#8 pieces from the early 1870s were struck at the Royal Mint in London; later dates in this run shifted to Heaton's Birmingham facility, and the two sources are distinguishable by the presence or absence of the H mintmark.