½ Anna (2 Pai) East India Company 1835 AD Historical Copper Coin

East India Company, King William IV, Reign, Years of Minting: 1835–1845 CE, Denomination: ½ Anna (2 Pai), Metal: Copper, Weight: 12.17 grams, Diameter: 31 mm, Reference: KM# 447, About Very Fine, Scarce.

Obverse: Arms of the East India Company with two lions as supporters and date below.

Reverse: “HALF ANNA” within wreath; “EAST INDIA COMPANY” around.

Issued under the authority of the East India Company during the reign of King William IV, the Half Anna copper coin formed part of the uniform coinage introduced following the Coinage Act of 1835. This reform standardized the currency system across British-controlled territories in India, replacing the diverse regional issues that had previously circulated under the Bengal, Bombay, and Madras Presidencies. The large copper Half Anna was intended for everyday transactions and quickly became an important denomination in local markets and rural commerce. The obverse features the heraldic arms of the East India Company, symbolizing the Company’s growing political and economic authority over the Indian subcontinent. Produced at major mints including Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras, these coins circulated extensively during a period of expanding British influence prior to the transfer of power to the Crown in 1858. Today, the East India Company Half Anna remains one of the most iconic and historically significant copper coins of British India, admired for its impressive size and classic heraldic design.

Coinage Note: The uniform coinage of 1835 established the Rupee as the standard currency throughout British India. Large copper denominations such as the Half Anna played a vital role in everyday commerce and are among the most recognizable issues of the East India Company period.