2015-12-18 Fri

Auction: 15005 of Ancient, British and Foreign Coins and Commemorative Medals lot no: 156.

A British India, Queen Victoria (1837-1901), silver pattern Rupee weighing 11.26g minted in 1861 at Calcutta was sold for £5,000!

The coin has a plain edge, with the crowned bust of Queen Victoria looking left with single arches to crown and traces of signature “l c wyon” below bust. The reverse shows the legend ‘one rupee – India’ 1861 within floral wreath, extremely fine, rare.

L. C. Wyon designed new Rupee dies that were sanctioned by the Royal Mint. These were shipped out to Calcutta in 1861. However Wyon's matrices did not meet the technical requirements of the Indian mints, and hence new ones had to be prepared at the Calcutta mint that used Wyon's punches but were partially re-engraved. This may account for the very faint traces of the signature that are just visible under the bust of this coin.

All Rupees dated 1861 are of the same patterns and none were issued for circulation.