1 Anna Republic of India Bombay Mint 1950 AD Copper-Nickel Coin

Republic of India, Early Republic Coinage, Years of Minting: 1950-1954 CE, Denomination: 1 Anna (1/16 Rupee), Composition: Copper-Nickel, Weight: 3.82 grams, Diameter: 21 mm, Shape: Scalloped with 12 notches, Mint: Bombay (Mumbai), Date: 1950, Reference: KM#3, Grade: Extremely Fine, Scarce.

Obverse: Ashoka Lion Capital on a pedestal, surrounded by the inscription “GOVERNMENT OF INDIA” in Latin script, representing the newly established Republic of India.

Reverse: A left-facing zebu bull occupies the centre, with “ONE ANNA”, “एक आना”, and the date 1950 arranged around the design.

The 1 Anna formed part of India’s early Republican coinage following independence in 1947 and the adoption of the Constitution in 1950. India retained the traditional rupee system and its subdivisions during this transitional period, with the Anna continuing in circulation until decimalisation in 1957. The Ashoka Lion Capital on the obverse replaced earlier British royal imagery and became a defining symbol of the Republic. The zebu bull on the reverse reflected India’s agricultural heritage, while the denomination was presented in both English and Devanagari. These coins represent an important stage in India’s transition from colonial to national coinage.

Coinage Note: This 1950 copper-nickel 1 Anna was struck at the Bombay Mint and belongs to the pre-decimal currency system of the Republic of India. Its distinctive twelve-notched scalloped shape, Ashoka Lion Capital, zebu bull, bilingual denomination, and date make it a characteristic early Republican circulation coin. The Anna remained part of the rupee system until decimalisation in 1957.