George V coinage portraits

[Ted]

Aloha, friends,

 

I have collected the coinage of King-Emperor George V for several decades, collecting types rather than dates, and am hoping that someone out there can answer one perturbing question for me. Why do the coins of India and Sailana, which feature the crowned portrait of the king, not have the pearls in the royal crown that are evident on the crown worn by the king on the coins of Canada, Australia, British Honduras, East, West, and South Africa, British Guiana, the Straits Settlements, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Southern Rhodesia, British North Borneo, Mauritius, Cyprus, Ceylon, Newfoundland, Fiji, Guernsey, Jersey, Jamaica, and New Guinea (I hope I didn't leave any one out)? Perhaps one of you have discovered the reason for this in your collecting related reading. Any assistance or suggestions for further research into this question will be appreciated.

 

Thanks.

[ccg]

Hello Ted!

 

Would you care to elaborate on which part of the crown you're referring to?

[Drusus]

There are two different imperial British crowns. There is the normal imperial crown and there is a separate imperial crown of India which is not a part of the standard crown jewels of the UK.

 

here is the imperial crown of India which is set with emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and an astounding 6,100 diamonds (no pearls) :

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Crown_of_India

 

here is the standard imperial crown which is a part of the crown jewels of the UK monarch. It is set with 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and 5 rubies:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_State_Crown

 

There are other crowns of course but I think these are the two imperial crowns which the king would be depicted wearing.

[Ted]

Thanks for your prompt response, Drusus and ccg,

 

I had not considered that there might be two different imperial crowns, which makes sense. However, to answer ccg's suggestion, I am referring to the two dots that separate the diamond shapes, like a colon :, on the headband of the crown.

 

The photographs that Drusus provided indicate that there should be two round diamonds in those locations on both crowns, although I have always heard the dots referred to as diamonds.

[ccg]

I am referring to the two dots that separate the diamond shapes, like a colon :, on the headband of the crown.

 

Wow! I've never noticed that before! That is definately interesting. I don't really have anything to say other than that those dots often show up weakly (or not at all) on George VI Newfoundland pieces.