Tripura (1927) rupee
This specimen was lot 3958 in Stack's-Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2015), where it sold for $182.13. The catalog description[1] noted, "INDIA. Tripura. Rupee, TE 1337 (1927). Vira Vikrama Kishora Deb Barman (1923-47). NGC EF-45. Toned." No coins of this state are listed in the regular SCWC, this issue being a medal or a pattern. The SCWC comments, "The coins of Tripura are unusual in that the majority have the name of the king together with that of his queen, and is the only coinage in the world where this was done consistently. In common with most other Hindu coinages of northeast India, the coins bear fixed dates. Usually the date was that of the coronation ceremony...." The Tripura kingdom existed before the coming of the Mughals in the sixteenth century. The Mughals managed to seize the flat part of the kingdom but were never able to penetrate the hill districts. The British established a protectorate over the kingdom in 1809. They called the state "Hill Tipperah" to distinguish it from a district in Bengal state called plain "Tipperah". Altho surrounded to the north, west and south by Bangladesh, it is still today part of India.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 11.66 g, .917 silver.
Catalog reference: Bruce-7; Mitch-2540.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Unusual World Coins, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2011.
- [1]Ponterio, Richard, The January 2015 NYINC Auction: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, Featuring the John W. Adams and Ray Czabor Collections, Irvine, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2014.
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