2020-02-05 Wed

In the year 1850/51 British government introduced a new design for the gold mohur in India. The die which was used to prepare this gold mohur was prepared from the matrix die of the half rupee, this matrix die had come from the Royal mint. All these coins were minted exclusively at Calcutta with the fixed date of 1841. In the year 1854 and 1857, the Bombay mint had also asked for the dies for the mohur, ten rupees, and five rupee coins. Dies for the gold mohur might have been supplied to the Bombay, but there is no evidence that these coins may have been struck at Bombay mint.

This gold mohur was issued by the British Government with bust of Queen Victoria in the center facing towards left with the initial ‘WW’ incused on truncation. Legend 'VICTORIA QUEEN' is written divided into two parts at the margin and the date 1841 is written below the bust. The reverse side of the coin depicts a standing lion facing towards left with a palm tree. The legend 'EAST INDIA COMPANY' is written above and the value of the coin both in English and in Persian is written at the bottom of the coin. In English, the value is written as 'ONE MOHUR' and in Persian, the value is written as 'YEK ASHRAFI'.

Image Courtesy: Todywalla Auction