Baldwin's of St. James's
Auction 5 15 May 2017
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Foreign Coins and Medals, Sumatra, Benkulen (?), EIC, copper cash, undated, early bale-mark (GCE for Governor and Company of Merchants Trading to the East Indies), rev. crude Arabic inscription, wt. 3.27gms. (Pr.-; Wiggins, ONS 120, Sept 1989, no 2, fig. 4, this coin), fine, exceedingly rare, possibly unique
Wiggins tentatively ascribed this curious piece to Benkulen, partly on account of its weight, stating that it is possible it was struck for use in another of the Company's posts. The reverse inscription is not the same as the rest of the Benkulen series, but he noted that 'the contemporary copper cash of the Madras Presidency' (the most likely alternative) 'were of considerably less weight'. (300 - 400 GBP)
Wiggins tentatively ascribed this curious piece to Benkulen, partly on account of its weight, stating that it is possible it was struck for use in another of the Company's posts. The reverse inscription is not the same as the rest of the Benkulen series, but he noted that 'the contemporary copper cash of the Madras Presidency' (the most likely alternative) 'were of considerably less weight'. (300 - 400 GBP)