Summary

Proof 1 Cent, Issued by Mauritius, 1949
Minted by Royal Mint, London

Obverse Description

Crowned head of the King facing left; around, KING GEORGE THE SIXTH; the artist's initials, HP, below neck truncation

Reverse Description

At centre within a bead circle, 1; around above, MAURITIUS; around below, ONE CENT 1949

Edge Description

Plain

Significance

'For the first time since 1924, a coinage of Mauritius 2 cents ans 1 cents was undertaken. An island with a population of under half a million inhabitants, however, requires only small and infrequent additions to its metallic currency, which in this case amounted to 250,000 of the former and 500,000 of the later denomination.

In 1925, Mr. Kruger Gray prepared new reverse designs effecting improvements in the form of the numerals and letters of the Mauritius coins. These versions were used for the punches supplied in 1942 to the Pretoria Mint, where Mauritius coins were produced during the war. But this was the first occasion on which they were used for coins produced at the Royal Mint.'

This was also the first occasion that the title Emperor, for Emperor of India, was omitted on the obverse for Mauritius. This coin is a Royal Mint Proof of Record strike supplied to the reference collection of the National Gallery of Victoria through the Melbourne Branch of the Royal Mint.

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