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1 Rupee - George VI
| Issuer | Government of India |
|---|---|
| Year | 1942-1945 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A central circle contains the denomination ONE RUPEE and INDIA in English, with the Urdu equivalent یک روپیہ, the date dividing the legend at the base. Surrounding the central circle is an elaborate decorative wreath composed of roses, thistles, shamrock leaves, and lotus flowers, symbolising the British Isles and India respectively. The entire design is contained within a toothed border consistent with the obverse. The composition is balanced and heraldic in character, reflecting the imperial numismatic tradition of British India. |
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| Additional information |
The shift to .500 fineness on this issue — down from the .917 silver of pre-WWI rupees — was not a wartime emergency measure but the continuation of a debasement policy begun in 1940, driven by the cost of mobilizing British Indian forces across multiple theaters. By 1942, India was supplying over two million troops, and the metal savings from reduced fineness were substantial enough to matter at scale.
Lahore, Bombay, and Calcutta all struck this type, with mint marks distinguishing each. The Lahore pieces are particularly common in higher grades, a mint that would cease producing Indian coinage entirely at Partition in 1947.