Tripura SE1791 mohur Fr-1432
This specimen was lot 54118 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2024), where it sold for $19,200. The catalog description[1] noted, "INDIA. Tripura. Mohur, SE 1791 (1869). Vira Chandra Manikya. NGC Unc Details--Edge Filing. Featuring a stylized lion with a trident standard and lotus border, this VERY RARE specimen stands as an elite representative of the emission no matter the noted edge filing. It was not uncommon for examples such as this to become used in jewelry, thus explaining any edge markings. Meanwhile, the degree of remaining luster--owing to its essentially uncirculated status--is quite dazzling and radiant, with the detail within the lettering and iconography also being crisp and well executed. Undoubtedly a tremendous specimen, and one that should generate great enthusiasm among specialists of the series. Ex: Nicholas Rhodes Collection." 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 SCWC lists KM 360 and KM 364 as mohurs for this date but study of the photographs therein reveals no difference between them. 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: 10.64 g, gold.
Catalog reference: Fr-1432; KM-360 (this coin illustrated).
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, January 2024 NYINC Auction, featuring the Emilio M Ortiz Collection and a Symphony of Russian Rarities, the Rothschild-Piatigorsky Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.
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