Halfpenny 1934, Coin from British West Africa - detailed information

Halfpenny 1934, Coin from British West Africa (demonetised 1968)
CoinHalfpenny 1934

The British West African Pound was the currency of British West Africa, a group of British colonies, protectorates and mandate territories - Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana (originally Gold Coast) and Gambia.

The British West African Pound was equal to the (pre-decimal) Pound Sterling and was similarly subdivided into 20 shillings, each of 12 pence. The Halfpenny (or half penny) was thus equal to 1/2 of a penny, 1/24th of a shilling or 1/480th of a pound (i.e., 480 of these coins made one pound).

Unlike its Imperial counterpart - the British Halfpenny - the British West African Halfpenny had a central hole which made the two coins incompatible; this was done to make sure that colonial money does not get exported to Great Britain to be used there, leaving the colonies with no cash.

For most of the history of the denomination, the coins were made of CuproNickel (copper-nickel) - such as this one; in 1952 only, the coins were in bronze.

After decolonisation, the coins were replaced by the various new countries as they introduced their own independent currencies:
- Nigeria introduced the Nigerian Pound in 1958
- Ghana introduced in Ghanaian Pound in 1958
- British Cameroon (on unification with Cameroon) adopted the Central African CFA Franc in 1961
- Sierra Leone introduced the Leone in 1964
- Gambia introduced the Gambian Pound in 1965

In some places, British West African coins circulated in parallel with the new coinage until 1968. Thus, halfpenny coins issued in 1934 would have circulated for up to 34 years depending on location.

MintRoyal Mint Mint MarkNo mint mark Total Mintage 1,694,400 (1.7 million)
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Obverse

An imperial crown above a central circular hole with a scroll ornament to right and left; below the crown and around the hole, the value and denomination ONE HALFPENNY.

Around, outside the scroll ornaments, the legend of the monarch: GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP:. Translated from Latin: George the Fifth, King and Emperor of India.

Below the hole, the denomination in Arabic: نُصْف پَنّي.

Obverse Inscription GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Reverse

Around a circular central hole, Solomon's seal (a six-pointed "Star of David"), consisting of two equilateral triangles interlaced.

Around, interrupted by the star, the legend BRITISH WEST AFRICA; around below, the star divides the date: · 1934 ·.

Reverse Inscription BRITISH WEST AFRICA · 1934 ·
EdgePlainEdge InscriptionNone
Halfpenny 1934: Known varieties
Variety Proof
Mintage Issued: unknown
Halfpenny 1934: References to Information Used
All (31) coins of type: Halfpenny
Coin NameMintageLegend
Halfpenny 1911 3,360,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1912 3,120,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1913 1,598,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1914 4,185,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1915 3,576,720 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1916 4,045,680 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1917 213,600 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1918 489,600 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1919 8,811,600 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1920 40,128,940 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1922 5,817,360 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1927 528,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1929 336,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1931 96,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1932 960,000 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1933 2,121,600 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1934 1,694,400 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1935 3,270,960 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1936 George V 5,400,240 GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1936 Edward VIII 19,457,760 EDWARDVS VIII REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1937 9,599,200 GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1940 2,410,000 GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1941 2,400,000 GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1942 4,800,000 GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1943 3,360,000 GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1944 3,600,000 GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1946 3,600,000 GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1947 27,218,400 GEORGIVS VI REX ET IND: IMP: ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1949 8,271,800 GEORGIVS SEXTVS REX ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1951 3,468,000 GEORGIVS SEXTVS REX ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
Halfpenny 1952 43,735,560 GEORGIVS SEXTVS REX ONE HALFPENNY نُصْف پَنّي
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Halfpenny 1934: Details
CountryBritish West Africa
CurrencyBritish West African Pound
Coin TypeHalfpenny, CuproNickel
Issued1934
MonarchKing George V
EffigyImperial Crown - St Edward's Crown and the Tudor Crown
Face Value1/2 (x Penny)
Total Mintage1,694,400 (1.7 million)
CurrentNo; demonetised 1968
MaterialCuproNickel
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound with hole
OrientationMedal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size25.2000 mm
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Halfpenny 1934: Photos
ImageDetails
Halfpenny 1934: Photo Halfpenny / thumbnail Halfpenny
Copyright: British Museum / CC BY-NC-SA
Source
Halfpenny 1934: Catalogue Reference IDs
SourceReference ID
Krause, Standard Catalog of World CoinsBritish West Africa KM# 8
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