GV1 1944 pennies, 2 different, dark and light variations. The mint darkened "hypo" and the rarer non-darkened version. The distinct "dark" and "light" variations of the 1944, 1945 & 1946 British pennies are the result of artificial chemical toning applied by the Royal Mint during World War II. Because of severe wartime metal shortages, the Mint altered the traditional bronze recipe, creating a coin that naturally tarnished into an unattractive, streaked shade. To fix this, the Royal Mint chemically treated the pennies using Hypo or Sodium Thiosulphate to darken them artificially before releasing them into circulation. The lighter coins escaped this process. Condition as photos.Condition as photos.