India 1918(b) 1/2 rupee
This specimen was lot 22574 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Anaheim, CA, August 2016), where it sold for $470. The catalog description[1] noted, "INDIA. 1/2 Rupee, 1918-(B). Restrike. NGC PL-64. Deep anthracite color tone over liquid prooflike surfaces. Far more SCARCE as a restrike than as a circulation struck issue." This half rupee was struck at the Bombay mint at the end of World War One. It was never minted in the immense numbers of the George V rupees but it is not rare, being struck steadily 1912-30, 1933-36. This date is common but the prooflike restrikes are rare. A few restrikes are known for Calcutta, which did not strike any half rupees for circulation in 1918. The minting of rupees effectively ceased after 1922.
Recorded mintage: 10,325,000 plus restrikes.
Specification: 5.83 g, 0.917 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM-522.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th 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]Ponterio, Richard, The August 2016 Anaheim ANA Auction: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2016.
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