India 1862(c) 1/2 rupee
This specimen was lot 2692 in Stephen Album sale 38 (Santa Rosa, CA, September 2020), where it sold for $83.30. The catalog description[1] noted, "BRITISH INDIA: Victoria, Queen, 1837-1876, AR ½ rupee, 1862(c), moderately cleaned, EF." This type was issued at Calcutta and Bombay 1862 and 1874-76 in a bewildering array of varieties, including proofs, off-metal strikes and restrikes. The type is not rare but is infrequently seen compared to the silver rupee. It is distinguished from the type issued 1877-1901 by the obverse legend, "VICTORIA QUEEN" instead of "VICTORIA EMPRESS."
Recorded mintage: 7,122,000 (Bombay and Madras combined) plus 7,649,000 from Calcutta.
Specification: 5.83 g, .917 silver, .171 troy oz ASW.
Catalog reference: KM-472.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Stevens, Paul, and Randy Weir, The Uniform Coinage of India, 1835 to 1947, A Catalogue and Pricelist, London, Spink & Son Ltd, 2012.
- [1]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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