Catalog
1 Anna Bhopal; PoW Camps
| Issuer | Bhopal Prisoner of War Camp |
|---|---|
| Year | 1941-1945 |
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| Value | 1 Anna (1⁄16) |
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| Obverse description | Printed in purple and yellow by letterpress, the voucher is enclosed within a purple guilloche border with wavy outer edges and an intricate latticework underprint covering the entire field. A large central yellow guilloche medallion of floral-scallop form bears the denomination legend "ONE ANNA" in purple, flanked by side panels each reading "1A"; the inscription "PRISONERS OF WAR" runs along the upper border with "CAMP" at foot, and the overprint "BHOPAL" appears in black at centre. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse is entirely unprinted, presenting a plain cream paper surface devoid of any text, vignette, or decorative elements. |
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| Comments |
Bhopal State operated one of several princely-state prisoner of war camps established under British Indian wartime arrangements, where local administration absorbed some of the logistical burden of holding Axis prisoners. Camp scrip of this type was issued to control purchasing within the camp economy — preventing prisoners from accumulating currency usable outside the wire. The anna denomination anchors it firmly to the Indian monetary system rather than any neutral camp-specific unit, which was the norm across British-administered camps on the subcontinent.
Paper camp issues from this period are frequently found with significant handling damage; the material was never intended to outlast the war.