The Frozen series: India gained Independence from the British rule on 15th August 1947 . As a stop-gap measure, the British period currency and coinage arrangements were continued for a three-year period till 15th August 1950. The early period Indian issues were termed as “the frozen series” (1947-1950).
The British period currency/coinage had consisted of one rupee having 16 annas, with 1 anna having 4 pice and each pice having 3 pies each. Thus each rupee had (16 annas x4 pice x 3 pies = 192 pies).
The Anna series: This distinctive set of Indian currency/coinage was issued for the first time termed as the “Anna series” on 15th August 1950 (after India became a Republic on 26th January 1950).
The size and composition of these coins was the same as the final Regal issues , except for the 1 pice coin which was made of bronze.
The size and composition of these coins was the same as the final Regal issues , except for the 1 pice coin which was made of bronze.
The following denominations of coins were issued under this category:
Nickel : one rupee, half rupee and quarter rupee.
Cupro-nickel : two annas, one anna and half anna.
Bronze: one pice.
The King’s portrait was replaced by the Lion Capital of the Ashoka pillar (three lions facing in three different directions with the fourth one at the back hidden from view) with the legend “Government of India” around it ,replacing the King’s name on the Obverse .
Notice that at the base of the Lion capital on the obverse side are two animals – an Ox and a galloping horse. These indigenous motifs i.e. of the ox, was taken on the reverse of the cupro-nickel coin issues and of the galloping horse was represented on the back of the one pice bronze issues , with a view to recognize and remind of India’s glorious heritage .
The Lion capital is till date the symbol of India’s sovereignity.
The Reverse side too underwent some changes. with the Tiger being replaced by a corn sheaf on the one rupee, half rupee and quarter rupee coins , emphasizing the transition and stress on progress and prosperity through focus on Agriculture and food production ( The corn sheafs formed an integral part of the reverse side one rupee coin designs till 2004) but , more importantly, the monetary system of 16 annas was still retained.
I have only three coin denominations from this period.
The first one is a half rupee coin from 1954 (nickel issue).
Obverse and reverse sides of the half rupee coin from 1954. The obverse side only has English as the language, indicating that the style of the British India coinage wads continued on the obverse. Similarly, on the reverse side both English and Hindi languages are ther, a practice which the Reserve Bank of India (then under British coinage system) had adopted during the last few years before Indian Independence.
The next two are quarter rupee coins from 1954 & 1956 (nickel issues).
These coins show similar characteristics as the half rupee coin above.
Posted on 27.05.2011: My neighbour on hearing about my blogging activity, has given me some coins ,in this segment, for my collection,which I must confess, I was pleasantly surprised to get. The first one is a one rupee coin from 1954, the second one is a half-rupee coin from 1950, and the third one is a quarter rupee coin from 1955. I am putting up images of these coins for ready reference also:
One rupee coin issued by Bombay mint ( Diamond mint mark below the year of issue 1954).
Half rupee coin issued by Bombay mint ,1950.
Quarter rupee coin issued in 1955 by Calcutta mint.(No mint mark).
(Back to the old post):
My last coins are, two one pice coins ,which I found during a trip to Nainital , a hill-station in north India in the heart of the glorious Himalayas, in the mid-seventies , near the lake after which the town is named ,when I had gone for boating. Perhaps, someone had discarded them as being from a redundant series as the decimal coinage had since been introduced in India, in 1957. I have been carrying them in a shoe-box and noticed them only now, when I started cataloguing my collection on this blog.
Obverse of the one pice coin 1954. (Bronze)
The coin shows the Lion Capital with the legend “Government of India”. Notice that at the base of the Lion capital is a Buffalo and a galloping horse which I have mentioned above. The star at the bottom of the coin is more like a full-stop/colon and not a Hyderabad Mint mark which is found in later period Hyderabad mint issues.
Reverse of a one pice coin issued in 1953 (Bronze), issued by Kolkata mint, given for my collection by my sister Raka.
Reverse side of the one pice coin 1954 (Bronze), issued by Bombay mint.
Notice the galloping horse on the reverse of this one pice bronze issue , taken from the base of the Lion Capital of Emperor Ashoka , from Ancient Indian times, with a view to constantly serve as a reminder of India’s glorious heritage and to act as a stimulus towards rebuilding the nation after getting Independence. Also notice , the Bombay mint mark of a “diamond” below the year 1954 which is still at the same place in present day issues.
Boating with my wife, Sumita, in the Nainital lake in 1998, almost 25 years after I found the two one pice coins issued in 1954 on the lake's banks as a teenager.
Some interesting links on Indian coins on this Blog:
Links to other posts on Indian Currency/Banknote denominations on this blog:
10) Did-you-know-series-1: Assists for identification of Currency Notes by visually challenged users
Nice post. Interestingly, Pakistan's pre-decimal coinage post independence also retained the same size, shape and composition as that of the British Indian coins with changes to the styling and depictions suited to Pakistan's ideology.
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