1916-I Specimen Half Penny

The first half pennies struck by the Calcutta mint in India, as indicated by an I mintmark (see illustration below) were designated specimens, sent to various public institutions including branches of the Royal mint in Melbourne and London.

The specimen strikes feature a reflective mirror finish but this should not be confused with early business strikes which bear the similar characteristics. The specimen strikes are in some respects indistinguishable from the earliest business strikes as business strikes were produced from the same dies and as such should only be considered if provenance can be proven.