1937 - 1947 - Ceylon
George VI

A number of changes in the coinage resulted from the effects of World War II (1939-1945). Proclamation of Governor dated

• On 1941 August 1st, the Ceylon coinage orders from 1892 to 1919 were revoked effective 1941 September 1st.
• On 1941 November 4th, the Nickel-bronze Five cent coin was included in the new schedule of denominations, metals, standard weights and fineness. It was amended on 1942 January 3rd to Nickel-brass.
• On 1942 July 30th, all silver fifty cents coins issued in the year 1942 or before were declared to cease to be legal tender after 1942 September 30th.
• On 1942 September 8th, the copper one cent piece was replaced by a bronze coin, of exactly half the weight.
• On 1942 December 3rd, all silver twenty-five cents and ten cent coins issued before 1942 was similerly demonatized effective 1943 February 28th.
• On 1943 November 25th the Nickel-brass fifty cent and twenty-five cent coins of weight and size similer to the former silver coins were declared legal tender.
• On 1944 February 14th the weights of the twenty-five cents was reduced by 1/18, and the Five cents was reduced by 1/6.
• On 1944 November 15th the Nickel-brass Ten cents and Two cents were similerly declared legal tender.

The obverse of the coin carries crowned head to left. with the legend GEORGE VI KING AND EMPEROR OF INDIA Designer Percy Metcalfe initials P M in relief below the truncation on some but not all issues. The reverse is varied, and a transition from older to new designs.

	silver issue demonetized 1942/43
	KM112	Ten	Cent	silver	coin
	KM114	Fifty	Cent	silver	coin
	Copper issue
	KM110	Half	Cent	copper	coin
	KM111	One	Cent	copper	coin
	KM111a	One	Cent	bronze Thin	coin
	KM117	Two	Cent	nickel-brass	coin
	KM113	Five	Cent	nickel-brass	coin
	KM118	Ten	Cent	nickel-brass	coin
	KM115	TwentyFive	Cent	nickel-brass	coin
	KM116	Fifty	Cent	nickel-brass	coin

Although the official issue of this coin type should have ended with independence in 1948, the coin was reminted in 1951 using the last issue year of the coin 50 and 25 cents (1943); 10 cents (1944); 5 and 1 cents (1945).
The 1945 5 and 1 cents was also reminted between 1959-1962. The Five cents of 1951 type was issued only as a Proof and was not put into circulation and was Lanka's first NCLT.

There is no way to distinguish the reminted coins from the older issue. The yearly mintage figures are from the Annual Reports of the Royal Mint and extracts from Board Meeting minutes of the Central Bank of Ceylon.

It is interesting to note that Indian Silver and copper coins of George VI like those of George V do not have OF INDIA, like seen on Ceylon and most other commonwealth nations maybe because INDIA is already mentioned on Indian coins. Those which were already independent which used IND. IMP as on British coins. Edward VII also used no OF INDIA on any coins I presume as he was considered Emperor of the British Empire.

All coins produced during the reign of King George VI minted for use in colonial locations use a crowned head while issues designed for use in the U.K. and commonwealth places such as South Africa, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand featured an uncrowned head. The crowned head was however also used for King George VI coins issued in Ceylon in 1951 after independence. The crown was removed in the Queen Elizabeth coin of 1955.

Text edited from
* The Coins of the British Commonwealth of Nations
 F. Pridmore, London, Spink & Son Ltd., 1960.