1/2 Penny - George V Obverse Trial

Issuer	British West Africa
Year	1920
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Value	1/2 Penny (1⁄480)
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Obverse description	Obverse trial piece bearing the royal legend of George V in Latin around the periphery, reading GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP:, affirming his titles as King and Emperor of India. The face value is inscribed in both English (ONE HALFPENNY) and Arabic script (نُصْف پَنّي), reflecting the bilingual character of British West African coinage. The design is centered on a round central hole, characteristic of the holed coinage series issued for British West Africa. The field surrounding the hole is plain, consistent with an obverse trial piece intended to test the die layout and lettering placement rather than present a finished portrait or decorative design. The mintmark KN, denoting the Kings Norton Metal Company, appears within the legend.
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Reverse description	The reverse of this trial piece is entirely blank, presenting a plain, featureless field surrounding the central round hole. This uninscribed reverse is consistent with the nature of an obverse trial striking, produced solely to evaluate the obverse die design, lettering, and central perforation, without any reverse design having been applied. The milled edge and central hole are clearly defined, and the flat field shows the characteristic surface of an unstruck or intentionally unworked reverse.
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Mintage	ND (1920) KN
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