Mauritius George VI 1 Rupee

History

1 Rupee 1938, KM# 19, Mauritius, George VI

Obverse. Photo © Heritage Auctions

Description

British Mauritius was a British crown colony. Formerly part of the French colonial empire, the crown colony of Mauritius was established after a British invasion in 1810 and the subsequent Treaty of Paris that followed. It later gained independence as a Commonwealth realm on 12 March 1968.

George VI (1895–1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death. He was the last Emperor of India and the first Head of the Commonwealth.

As the second son of King George V, he was not expected to inherit the throne and spent his early life in the shadow of his elder brother, Edward. George's elder brother ascended the throne as Edward VIII upon the death of their father in 1936. However, later that year Edward revealed his desire to marry divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin advised Edward that for political and religious reasons he could not marry a divorced woman and remain king. Edward abdicated in order to marry, and George ascended the throne as the third monarch of the House of Windsor.

Obverse	Crown, jewelry Tudor Crown Person (king, queen, tsar etc.) George VI Crowned bust of King George VI, left, wearing the Tudor Crown, legend around. The Tudor Crown, also known as the King's Crown or Imperial Crown, is a widely used symbol in heraldry of the United Kingdom. While various crown symbols had been used for this purpose for many years previously, the specific Tudor Crown design was standardised at the request of Edward VII. It was never intended to represent any actual physical crown, although in shape it bears a close resemblance to the small diamond crown of Queen Victoria. Engraver: Percy Metcalfe GEORGE VI KING EMPEROR PM
Reverse	Coat of arms Mauritius Device and tools (watch, compass, telescope etc.) Key Navy (ship, submarine etc.) Galley Depicts a coat of arms of Mauritius dividing date, the country name above, the value below. The coat of arms of Mauritius were designed by the Mayor of Johannesburg in 1906, Johann Van Der Puf. In the lower left quarter is a key and on the right-hand side is a white star, which are referred to in the Latin motto “Stella Clavisque Maris Indici” meaning “Star and Key of the Indian Ocean". In the left upper quarter is lymphad. In the right upper quarter is 3 palm trees. A lymphad or galley is a single masted ship propelled by oars. In addition to the mast and oars, the lymphad has three flags and a basket. The word comes from the Scottish Gaelic long fhada, meaning a long ship or birlinn. Engraver: George Edward Kruger Gray · ·MAURITIUS· · 19 38 K· G · ·ONE·RUPEE· ·
Edge	Reeded (milled)