Kutch 1866/VS 1922 100 kori Fr-1277
The Indian Princely State of Kutch is located in a flat expanse of salt marshlands on the western border of India along the Arabian Sea. To the west is the Pakistani province of Sind. Though Kutch never could support a large population nor was endowed with natural resources, it remained a power due to its navy and notoriety as a transport hub for pilgrimage to Mecca. Partly due to its geographic isolation, Kutch was able to maintain a unique coinage system from its beginnings through to independence from the British in 1947. The first Kutch coins were modeled after those of Nawanagar, from which Kutch officially gained its autonomy in 1617 AD. This was also the year that Kutch obtained the rights to produce coinage in the name of its own rulers.
This specimen was lot 3488 in Goldberg sale 75 (Los Angeles, September 2013), where it sold for $2,128. The catalog description[1] noted, "India - Kutch. 100 Kori, 1866/VS1922. Pragmalji II, 1860-1875. Persian legend in the name of Queen Victoria. NGC graded MS-63." By this point in history, the coin designs had begun to deviate from the imitation of Nawanagar coins. Pragmalji II was the first ruler to acknowledge the British Queen Victoria in his coinage. The coin is dated 1866 AD/VS 1922. Twenty-five and fifty kori (Fr-1278) also exist.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specifications: 18.7 g, 0.906 fine gold, .544 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Fr-1277; KM Y19.
- Bright, Richard, The Coinage of Kutch, Dallas, TX: Numismatics International, 1975.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Goldberg, Ira, Larry Goldberg, Jason Villareal and Steven Harvey, Goldberg Sale 75: the pre-Long Beach Sale, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, 2013.
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