Bombay (1803-15)/46 1/15 mohur Fr-1555
This specimen was lot 765 in Steve Album Auction 52 (Santa Rosa, CA, May 2025), where it sold for $390. The catalog description[1] noted, "BOMBAY PRESIDENCY: AV rupee (1/15 mohur), Surat, year 4(6), East India Company issue in the name of Shah Alam II, struck with frozen date and mint, a lovely mint state example! PCGS graded MS63. The gold rupee, at a standard of 0.77 g (individual examples can vary considerably), was approved in October 1800 and declared legal tender in December 1801, and minting commenced at the beginning of February 1802 at a fineness of 94%. The intention was to offer a rupee coin in gold that would "afford considerable convenience to the inhabitants", as cited in the initial request. It was struck at both the Surat and Bombay Mints, with the Bombay piece distinguished by the addition of a privy mark, and no mark for the Surat issues. The Government liked the idea that gold rupees would be much more convenient for payments to the Treasury, but the people were not pleased with this minuscule coin and preferred the silver rupee. The gold rupee was discontinued at Surat by 1815 and at Bombay in 1832." The SCWC lists this type with several privy marks (KM 236, 237.1, 237.2).
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 0.77 g, 0.940 fine gold, this specimen 0.76 g.
Catalog reference: Fr-1555, KM-213, Stv-6.159, Prid-254.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- 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 Dustin Wagner, Auction 52, featuring the Dr. Robert A. Rosenfeld Collection and the Almer H. Orr III Collection, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2025.
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