Jaipur State ½ Paisa George VI & Man Singh II Copper Coin

Princely State of Jaipur, Rulers: George VI & Maharaja Man Singh II, 1922-1948 CE, Denomination: ½ Paisa, Metal: Copper, Weight: 2.96 grams, Diameter: 16.98 mm, Reference: KM# 176, about extremely fine.

Obverse: Legend in Persian: “Ba Ahad, Shahenshah Sultanat Inglistan, George Shesham” — meaning “With permission of the Emperor of England, George Sixth”, reflecting British suzerainty in Indian states. 

Reverse: Central motif: Jhar leaf (Jaipur state emblem) • Regnal Year (Ry 22) indicating the local Jaipur calendar date. 

Maharaja Man Singh II became ruler of the Princely State of Jaipur in 1922. Like other Indian princes, his state functioned under British paramountcy, which is why George VI appears on Jaipur coinage. This arrangement allowed Jaipur internal administration while accepting British supremacy in external affairs.

At the time of Independence, Man Singh II took a pragmatic and forward-looking decision. In 1947, he supported the integration of Jaipur into independent India by signing the Instrument of Accession, ensuring a smooth and peaceful transition without conflict or instability. His role helped preserve Jaipur’s administrative structure during a sensitive political phase.

The ½ Paisa copper coin represents the final phase of princely coinage—combining imperial authority on the obverse and Jaipur’s state identity on the reverse, struck for everyday circulation in the late princely era.