Summary
Proof 2 Cents, 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, 2; around above, MAURITIUS; around below, TWO CENTS 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 throught the Melbourne Branch of the Royal Mint.
More Information
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), 15 Mar 1976
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Date Issued
1949 AD
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Issued By
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Mint
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Artist
Thomas Humphrey Paget - Royal Mint, London, Great Britain, 1937
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Denomination
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Series
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Material
Bronze
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Axis
12
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Dimensions
23 mm (Outside Diameter), 3.874 g (Weight)
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Shape
Round
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References
KM#26 80 th.Annual Report of the Deputy Master and Comptroller of the Royal Mint 1949, p.9.
[Book] Bruce, Colin R. 2009. 2009 Standard Catalogue of World Coins 1901 - 2000., 1421 Pages
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Keywords
British Commonwealth Coins, British Commonwealth and Empire Coins