British India 1942 2 Anna

Step into the wartime economy of late colonial India with the 1942 British India 2 Anna coin, struck under King George VI during the height of the Second World War. Recognisable instantly by its distinctive square shape with rounded corners, this coin was introduced to ease shortages of strategic metals and to make the denomination immediately distinguishable in the hand.
Composed of cupro-nickel and measuring approximately 25 mm across the corners, the coin carries the crowned effigy of George VI on the obverse and the denomination set within ornamental detailing on the reverse. The unusual square format was both a practical adaptation to wartime conditions and a striking departure from traditional round colonial coinage — an artifact of an empire under stress.
The 2 Anna circulated heavily through the markets, tea stalls, and rail stations of India during the closing years of the Raj, its instantly recognisable shape making it a familiar fixture of everyday economic life. Today, the square 2 Anna stands as a quiet but powerful symbol of wartime British India.
Set into hand-carved oak wood, the 1942 2 Anna becomes the centrepiece of a luxurious Anka timepiece. The wood's natural grain complements the coin's distinctive shape and silvery-grey surface, transforming a piece of wartime currency into a refined, wearable record of history.

USP : A distinctive square wartime 2 Anna under George VI, preserved as a wearable artifact of late British India.