Catalog
1 Penny - George VI 1st type
| Issuer | Royal Mint (London) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1940-1947 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Pound (1840-1967) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The George VI penny retained the "Emperor of India" title in its obverse legend until 1948, when India's independence forced its removal — making the 1940–1947 issues the last pennies to carry that particular imperial designation in routine circulation. Production during the war years was complicated by metal priorities, and some years saw output drop sharply before recovering as the military situation stabilized.
The 1943 bronze penny is a known anomaly year for collectors, as steel and zinc substitutes were being trialed across Allied coinage at exactly this moment, though Britain ultimately kept bronze for the penny longer than Canada or the United States held their own copper-alloy equivalents.