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1/4 Rupee - George VI
| Issuer | India - British |
|---|---|
| Year | 1940 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Rupee (1770-1947) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Left-facing crowned effigy of King George VI, rendered in high relief with fine portrait detail by engraver Percy Metcalfe. The king wears the Imperial State Crown, depicted with considerable heraldic detail including fleurs-de-lis and arches. The circular legend GEORGE VI KING EMPEROR runs along the periphery in Latin capitals. The field is smooth and unadorned, drawing full attention to the royal portrait. The design is enclosed by a toothed (beaded) border. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Latin, Urdu |
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| Additional information |
The shift to .500 fine silver for this issue was a direct consequence of wartime metal demands. Britain's need to conserve higher-grade silver for strategic purposes forced the Indian currency authorities to halve the alloy fineness beginning in 1940, a change applied across the rupee series simultaneously. Coins struck before this decision — just one year prior — were .917 fine.
The Lahore mint struck alongside Bombay and Calcutta during this period, and mint mark attribution on the 1940 issues can be a point of dispute among specialists working from worn examples.