India 1896-C 1/4 rupee

Stephen Album sale 37, lot 2895

This specimen was lot 2895 in Stephen Album sale 37 (Santa Rosa, CA, June 2020), where it sold for $202.30. The catalog description^[1] noted, "BRITISH INDIA: Victoria, Empress, 1876-1901, AR ¼ rupee, 1896-C, NGC graded MS62." This type was issued at Calcutta and Bombay 1877-1901 in a bewildering array of varieties, including proofs, off-metal strikes and restrikes. The type is the third largest silver denomination. It is distinguished from the type issued 1862-76 by the obverse legend, "VICTORIA EMPRESS" instead of "VICTORIA QUEEN." For 1896, the Bombay product comes with the "B" mintmark and Calcutta is marked with an incuse "C" in the lotus flower at the bottom of the reverse. The mintmarks (or lack of them) varied from year to year.

Recorded mintage: 9,464,000 + proofs plus more from Bombay.

Specification: 2.92 g, 0.917 fine silver, .171 troy oz ASW.

Catalog reference: KM-490.

Source:

• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th 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]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Auction 37, featuring the Gamal Amer Collection of Egyptian Coins and the Ahmed Sultan Collection of Ottoman Coins, Part II, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2020.

Link to:

• 1894-C quarter rupee
• 1895 1/12 anna
• 1896-C half rupee
• 1897 1/12 anna
• 1897(c) ¼ anna
• 1897-B rupee
• 1897-C rupee
• 1898-B quarter rupee
• 1898-C quarter rupee
• Coins and currency dated 1896