Awadh AH 1216(26) rupee
This specimen was lot 2748 in Steve Album Auction 51 (Santa Rosa, CA, January 2025), where it sold for $288. The catalog description[1] noted, "BENGAL PRESIDENCY: AR shumshari rupee, Allahabad, AH1216 year 26 (sic), in the name of Shah Alam II, wonderful strike, choice XF, R. The Allahabad Mint fell to the Nawabs of Awadh in 1773 (AH1186/87), who struck rupees at Allahabad until the mint was allegedly closed in AH1211 (July 1796 to June 1797), then briefly reopened by the British during or just before May 1802 (the end of AH1216), but permanently closed soon after (the British rupees are known dated AH1216 and 1217 with frozen regnal year 26 [reported but unconfirmed for 1218])." The Nawab of Awadh controlled the mints of Lucknow (his capital) and Benares and rupees from those mints are well documented. This rupee was struck at Allahabad during the British occupation and don't seem to be in the SCWC.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 11.0-11.6 g, silver, this specimen 11.20 g.
Catalog reference: Stv-8.7, KM unlisted.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Stevens, Paul, The Coins of the English East India Company, Presidency Series: A Catalogue and Pricelist. London, Spink & Son Ltd, 2017.
- [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Auction 51, featuring the Howard Daniel III Collection of Asian Coins, the Almer H. Orr III Collection of World Coins and the Joe Sedillot Collection of German Coins, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2024.
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