Bombay (17)99 1/5 rupee
The first specimen was lot 1119 in Sedwick sale 25 (Winter Park, FL, May 2018), where it sold for $101.15. The catalog description[1] noted, "Bombay, India, 1/5 rupee, (17)99, NGC AU 58. Superb rainbow toning and choice bold strike, muted luster, tied with one other for finest known in NGC census. NGC #4725070-011." The second specimen was lot 2671 in Stephen Album sale 38 (Santa Rosa, CA, September 2020), where it sold for $65.45. The catalog description[2] noted, "BOMBAY PRESIDENCY: AR 1/5 rupee, AH1214/[17]99, one-year type, good eye appeal, EF, R." This one year type is scarce. It was struck for the Mughal emperor, whose rule was purely theoretical, by the English East India Company. Other 1/5 rupees are noted from earlier in the century, as far back as AH 1131.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 2.32 g, silver, the second specimen 2.25 g.
Catalog reference: KM-276.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- Stevens, Paul, The Coins of the English East India Company, Presidency Series: A Catalogue and Pricelist. London, Spink & Son Ltd, 2017.
- [1]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia and Cori Sedwick Downing, Treasure Auction 25, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2019.
- [2]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Auction 38, featuring the Dabestani Collection of Persian Coins, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2020.
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