Bombay AH 1215/46 rupee KM-224
The first specimen was lot 74306 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2022), where it sold for $100. The catalog description[1] noted, "INDIA. Bombay Presidency. Rupee, AH 1215 Year 46 (1800-01). Surat Mint. Shah Alam II. NGC AU-58. Frozen date variety. This handsome Rupee was struck in 1832 despite the frozen AH date of 1215 (1800/01). Graded AU, this example offers only faint traces of wear and some colorful toning that warms the legends. A wonderful example." The second specimen was lot 762 in Steve Album Auction 52 (Santa Rosa, CA, May 2025), where it sold for $570. The catalog description[2] noted, "BOMBAY PRESIDENCY: AR rupee, Surat, AH1215 year 46, East India Company issue, plain edge, struck between 1832-35 at the new Bombay Mint, beautiful luster, tied for top pop at NGC (3/0), NGC graded MS63." This is among the first milled silver coins struck for India, along with quarter and half rupees (KM 222, KM 223). Earlier EIC rupees were hammered (KM 218.3). All were likely struck at the Soho mint to the EIC's specification, with the Surat mintmark used to increase its acceptability.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 11.59 g, silver, plain edge.
Catalog reference: KM-224; Stv-5.8. Prid-286.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The February 2022 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancients & World Coins, Featuring Selections from the Kings Norton Mint Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
- [2]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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