MY COLLECTION - ALBUM NO 3 - BRITISH EMPIRE (THE RAJ) COINS - QUEEN VICTORIA

CHAPPIDI ABHIRATH REDDY

C/O COL GKS REDDY;
Secunderabad - 500 015

          India was governed by East India Company till 1857, which minted its own coins. The first Indian War of Independence fought in 1857 resulted in widespread devastation in India; many condemned the East India Company for permitting the events to occur. One of the consequences of the Indian war of Independence was that, the British Government Nationalised the Company. The Company lost all its administrative powers; the Crown, pursuant to the provisions of the Government of India Act 1858, took over its Indian possessions, including its armed forces in 1858.

          Though the Indian Territories came under direct control of the British Crown in 1858, East India Company Coins continued as the legal tender till 1861. The first coins of British India (The Raj) were minted only in the year 1862. The Raj was governed by the British Crown during the reign of Queen Victoria, King Edwards VII, King George V and King George VI till Aug 1947. Coins of the Raj were minted in the names of the Reigning Queen / Kings.

          I have divided my collection of British Empire coins into sets of Queen Victoria and the respective Kings. Though the sets are almost complete, there are some missing coins in all the four sets, which I am trying to procure. To start with I am posting the coins of Queen Victoria, in which One Anna Coin is missing. (It is not clear, whether the same has been minted or not, as I never came across this coin in any of the concerned sites browsed by me till now).

1/12 Anna (Dammidi) – 1898 – Queen Victoria

½ Pice (1/8 Anna) – 1898 – Queen Victoria

¼ Anna (One Pice) – 1862 – Queen Victoria

Half Anna – 1862 – Queen Victoria

Two Annas (1/8 Rupee – 1862 – Queen Victoria

 ¼ Rupee (Four Annas) – 1862 – Queen Victoria

½ Rupee (Eight Annas) – 1897 – Queen Victoria

One Rupee – 1880 – Queen Victoria

Note - Some of the images of coins in my collection, have been taken from the Gallery to the extent available, to save on time & effort involved in photography & editing