A century-old coin : The British halfpenny of 1925
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S Balakrishnan
Contd from previous issue
First minted on coins of Roman Emperor Hadrian (reigned 117 to 138), the figure represented Roman Britain’s defensive policy. Despite the eventual wane of the Roman Empire, Britannia endured, and still embodies those same virtues of strength, resilience and fortitude today. Britannia was revived in British coins and started appearing with a Union Flag on her shield during Charles II rule (1649 to 1685). Armed with a trident and shield, and wearing a Corinthian helmet, Britannia is the embodiment of the United Kingdom in female form, symbolising British national pride, unity and strength. In older times, Britannia’s strength was particularly associated with British naval power; hence the trident. After many victories of Britain's Royal Navy, coins with the Britannia figure show Neptune's trident from 1797. Her image wears a helmet on coins after 1825.
King George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert) was born on June 3, 1865 as the son of British King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra (of Denmark). Queen Victoria was his paternal grandmother. Though George was the second son, he succeeded to the throne after his father Edward VII because of the death of his elder brother Albert Victor. Prince Albert , the first son of Edward VII and heir apparent, died of pneumonia in 1892 just six weeks after his engagement announcement with Mary (May) of Teck. Therefore, Prince George was brought back from the services of Navy which he joined when he was just around 12 years of age.
On the death of his father King Edward VII, Prince George ascended to the throne on May 6, 1910 (aged 44 years), was officially crowned on June 22, 1911, and ruled for 25 years, 8 months, 15 days, till his death on January 20, 1936 (aged 70 years). King George and Queen Mary (May) had five sons—Edward; Albert Frederick Arthur George; Henry, George, and Prince John, and one daughter, Mary. The youngest Prince John suffered from epilepsy and died aged 13.
After Prince Albert Victor’s death in 1892, George and May grew close during their shared grief and later fell in love; one year after Albert's death, George proposed to May, and she accepted and they got married in July 1893. While initially a matter of convenience and royal duty, they genuinely developed a deep bond. George’s paternal granny, Queen Victoria, strongly encouraged the match as she was fond of Princess May and saw to it that Mary remained in the royal family. The couple toured India in 1911 as Emperor and Empress of India.
King George V’s eldest son Edward succeeded him; he was crowned as Edward VIII. He hardly ruled for a year (from January 20 to December 10, 1936), when he abdicated in order to marry Wallis Warfield Simpson of the United States. His reigning period was so short that no regular coin bearing his image could be issued. Wallis Simpson was an American socialite who had two living ex-husbands; this fact threatened to cause a constitutional / religious crisis in the United Kingdom, forcing Edward VIII to abdicate the throne. Edward VIII was succeeded by his next younger brother Albert Frederick Arthur George who took the throne on December 11, 1936, and was crowned on May 12, 1937 as King George VI. His daughter Elizabeth II later succeeded him and ruled for 70 long years from 6 February 1952 to 8 September 2022.
Respect for King George greatly increased during World War I (1914–1918) when he visited the warfront in France several times. After WW-I the king had to face an outbreak of serious industrial unrest. Besides WW –I, other notable events that took place during his ruling period were –1912 - SS Titanic, the luxury passenger ship, sank on her maiden voyage, drowning more than 1,500 people; 1917-Russian Revolution; 1918 – Russian Czar Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra (both cousins of George V) and their royal family are shot in Ekaterinburg; 1918 –German Ruler Kaiser Wilhelm II (again a cousin of George V) abdicates as Germany faces defeat in WW-I; 1928-Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; 1929- Beginning of the Great Depression which lasted for almost 10 years. I have just a single piece of this ½ penny British coin issued in 1927. If a single coin could prod me to write this piece, I suppose I could easily secure a Doctorate writing a thesis about my numismatic collection. Penny wise, p(f)ound foolish !
Contd from previous issue
First minted on coins of Roman Emperor Hadrian (reigned 117 to 138), the figure represented Roman Britain’s defensive policy. Despite the eventual wane of the Roman Empire, Britannia endured, and still embodies those same virtues of strength, resilience and fortitude today. Britannia was revived in British coins and started appearing with a Union Flag on her shield during Charles II rule (1649 to 1685). Armed with a trident and shield, and wearing a Corinthian helmet, Britannia is the embodiment of the United Kingdom in female form, symbolising British national pride, unity and strength. In older times, Britannia’s strength was particularly associated with British naval power; hence the trident. After many victories of Britain's Royal Navy, coins with the Britannia figure show Neptune's trident from 1797. Her image wears a helmet on coins after 1825.
King George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert) was born on June 3, 1865 as the son of British King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra (of Denmark). Queen Victoria was his paternal grandmother. Though George was the second son, he succeeded to the throne after his father Edward VII because of the death of his elder brother Albert Victor. Prince Albert , the first son of Edward VII and heir apparent, died of pneumonia in 1892 just six weeks after his engagement announcement with Mary (May) of Teck. Therefore, Prince George was brought back from the services of Navy which he joined when he was just around 12 years of age.
On the death of his father King Edward VII, Prince George ascended to the throne on May 6, 1910 (aged 44 years), was officially crowned on June 22, 1911, and ruled for 25 years, 8 months, 15 days, till his death on January 20, 1936 (aged 70 years). King George and Queen Mary (May) had five sons—Edward; Albert Frederick Arthur George; Henry, George, and Prince John, and one daughter, Mary. The youngest Prince John suffered from epilepsy and died aged 13.
After Prince Albert Victor’s death in 1892, George and May grew close during their shared grief and later fell in love; one year after Albert's death, George proposed to May, and she accepted and they got married in July 1893. While initially a matter of convenience and royal duty, they genuinely developed a deep bond. George’s paternal granny, Queen Victoria, strongly encouraged the match as she was fond of Princess May and saw to it that Mary remained in the royal family. The couple toured India in 1911 as Emperor and Empress of India.
King George V’s eldest son Edward succeeded him; he was crowned as Edward VIII. He hardly ruled for a year (from January 20 to December 10, 1936), when he abdicated in order to marry Wallis Warfield Simpson of the United States. His reigning period was so short that no regular coin bearing his image could be issued. Wallis Simpson was an American socialite who had two living ex-husbands; this fact threatened to cause a constitutional / religious crisis in the United Kingdom, forcing Edward VIII to abdicate the throne. Edward VIII was succeeded by his next younger brother Albert Frederick Arthur George who took the throne on December 11, 1936, and was crowned on May 12, 1937 as King George VI. His daughter Elizabeth II later succeeded him and ruled for 70 long years from 6 February 1952 to 8 September 2022.
Respect for King George greatly increased during World War I (1914–1918) when he visited the warfront in France several times. After WW-I the king had to face an outbreak of serious industrial unrest. Besides WW –I, other notable events that took place during his ruling period were –1912 - SS Titanic, the luxury passenger ship, sank on her maiden voyage, drowning more than 1,500 people; 1917-Russian Revolution; 1918 – Russian Czar Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra (both cousins of George V) and their royal family are shot in Ekaterinburg; 1918 –German Ruler Kaiser Wilhelm II (again a cousin of George V) abdicates as Germany faces defeat in WW-I; 1928-Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; 1929- Beginning of the Great Depression which lasted for almost 10 years. I have just a single piece of this ½ penny British coin issued in 1927. If a single coin could prod me to write this piece, I suppose I could easily secure a Doctorate writing a thesis about my numismatic collection. Penny wise, p(f)ound foolish !