St. James's Auctions
Auction 52 26 Oct 2021
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Cupro-nickel Pattern Set, 1949, comprising silver rupee; half rupee; quarter rupee; two annas (3); anna; piece, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, lion capitol of Asoka, revs. man winnowing wheat; type II, worker pouring metal in foundry, building behind; miner with pick inside mine; type I, peacock; peacock without stars; peacock in full plumage; water buffalo; two sheaves of wheat respectively, all certified and graded by NGC as Proof 66+, Proof 64+, Proof 66, Proof 65, Proof 65, Proof 64, Proof 65, Proof 64 Red Brown respectively (8)
A similar set (except with two different ½-Rupees, this has only one, but only one peacock standing two annas) sold in A. H. Baldwin & Son, Auction 71, September 2011, lot 1609, for £52,000. It is generally considered that four sets were struck and a few of the two annas have come to market since. These designs are far superior to those which were eventually used in India but this is one of the great joys of patterns – the what could have been of these coins.
A.H. Baldwin & Son, Auction 78, The David Fore Collection, 7th May 2013, all with original lot cards.
Please note that all lots have been certified and graded by NGC since their appearance in The David Fore Collection, and some were conserved during this process.
For many years now, the existence of proof 'restrike' coins have caused difficulties for collectors and numismatists alike. Indeed, proof coins of this series were 'originally' produced and were subsequently reproduced in different circumstances from 1835 to 1970. The original proof issues were struck as examples of the contemporary circulating coins, much as they are today, and were often used for display due to their delicate mirrored finish. The restrike coins were produced for esteemed collectors and for museums sometime after the original currency coins were struck. They seem to have been available to collectors 'on order' thus meaning the collector could request a special off metal striking (when the coin is struck in a metal different to the metal used for the original issue, for example, a gold two annas). These coins are often of high quality and were carefully struck with well-prepared dies. These restrikes are often called 'early restrikes'. As one would expect, the existence of 'early restrikes' does imply the existence of 'later restrikes'. These were struck between 1947 and 1970 and were struck to order when the client provided the metal to the mint and was charged a fee for the striking service. Originally the coins available in this period were restrikes of currency coins only, but towards 1960 pattern striking were also available. This period also saw a rising popularity of mule coins, showing obverses and reverses which weren't usually paired on a coin. The existence of three periods in which the 'same' coin was struck sometimes makes it difficult to assign a coin to the correct striking time frame. As such, some of the coins for sale here feature the footnote: Originally identified in The David Fore Collection as an original striking, although subsequently certified and graded by NGC with a ticket marked 'restrike'. We feel it best to give the collector this information in order to make a fully informed decision.
(40000-50000 GBP)
A similar set (except with two different ½-Rupees, this has only one, but only one peacock standing two annas) sold in A. H. Baldwin & Son, Auction 71, September 2011, lot 1609, for £52,000. It is generally considered that four sets were struck and a few of the two annas have come to market since. These designs are far superior to those which were eventually used in India but this is one of the great joys of patterns – the what could have been of these coins.
A.H. Baldwin & Son, Auction 78, The David Fore Collection, 7th May 2013, all with original lot cards.
Please note that all lots have been certified and graded by NGC since their appearance in The David Fore Collection, and some were conserved during this process.
For many years now, the existence of proof 'restrike' coins have caused difficulties for collectors and numismatists alike. Indeed, proof coins of this series were 'originally' produced and were subsequently reproduced in different circumstances from 1835 to 1970. The original proof issues were struck as examples of the contemporary circulating coins, much as they are today, and were often used for display due to their delicate mirrored finish. The restrike coins were produced for esteemed collectors and for museums sometime after the original currency coins were struck. They seem to have been available to collectors 'on order' thus meaning the collector could request a special off metal striking (when the coin is struck in a metal different to the metal used for the original issue, for example, a gold two annas). These coins are often of high quality and were carefully struck with well-prepared dies. These restrikes are often called 'early restrikes'. As one would expect, the existence of 'early restrikes' does imply the existence of 'later restrikes'. These were struck between 1947 and 1970 and were struck to order when the client provided the metal to the mint and was charged a fee for the striking service. Originally the coins available in this period were restrikes of currency coins only, but towards 1960 pattern striking were also available. This period also saw a rising popularity of mule coins, showing obverses and reverses which weren't usually paired on a coin. The existence of three periods in which the 'same' coin was struck sometimes makes it difficult to assign a coin to the correct striking time frame. As such, some of the coins for sale here feature the footnote: Originally identified in The David Fore Collection as an original striking, although subsequently certified and graded by NGC with a ticket marked 'restrike'. We feel it best to give the collector this information in order to make a fully informed decision.
(40000-50000 GBP)