India 1976-B 50 rupees
This specimen was lot 76175 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, September 2025), where it sold for $85. The catalog description[1] noted, "INDIA. 50 Rupees, 1976-B. Bombay Mint. NGC PROOF-67 Ultra Cameo. F.A.O. series issue. Ex: Sanjay C. Gandhi Collection." This type was struck only at Bombay. The proofs have a "B" (shown here) and the circulation issue has a diamond. It is not rare altho the low fineness means many specimens have spots or PVC. This design was also used on an aluminum five paise (KM 19), aluminum ten paise (KM 30) and a copper-nickel ten rupees (KM 191).
Recorded mintage: 42,000 with a diamond and 3,385 with a "B".
Specification: 34.7 g, 0.500 fine silver, 44 mm diameter, reeded edge.
Catalog reference: KM-257.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, September 2025 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, including Selections from the Richard Margolis Collection and Selections from the L.E. Bruun Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
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