Stack's Bowers & Ponterio
Summer 2022 Global Showcase Auction 22-26 Aug 2022
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INDIA. East India Company. Bombay Presidency. Mohur, "1802" Year 46. Bombay Mint. In the name of Shah Alam II. NGC AU Details--Damaged.
Fr-1558A; cf. KM-242; cf. Prid-260 (Panchia); Stevens-3.2. "Surat" type with frozen date. Obverse: "1802" upside down on panel; Reverse: Leopard head. This type is breathtakingly RARE, as observed by its omission from Pridmore's catalog. There, he lists the specific privy mark as number 3 and as being introduced in 1802 to denote the standardization of gold fineness during the Bombay Presidency. With Prid-260, he was only able to confirm one example on a Panchia (1/3 Mohur), and left further research to others. This example, along with the few others that have come to public auction, were likely struck with the same dies as the Panchia specimen. The type was evidently produced in excessively limited numbers, and may have acted as a transitional piece. Research indicates that only two examples have reached public auction, once in 2008 and another in 2015. The piece offered here gives strong details and a beautiful honey-golden color. As NGC notes, there is some damage, with the upper portion of the planchet showing an unnatural pattern of wear. Despite this flaw, it is sure to generate much attention with regard to its RARITY and rather UNIQUE historical position.
Estimate: $2000 - $4000
Fr-1558A; cf. KM-242; cf. Prid-260 (Panchia); Stevens-3.2. "Surat" type with frozen date. Obverse: "1802" upside down on panel; Reverse: Leopard head. This type is breathtakingly RARE, as observed by its omission from Pridmore's catalog. There, he lists the specific privy mark as number 3 and as being introduced in 1802 to denote the standardization of gold fineness during the Bombay Presidency. With Prid-260, he was only able to confirm one example on a Panchia (1/3 Mohur), and left further research to others. This example, along with the few others that have come to public auction, were likely struck with the same dies as the Panchia specimen. The type was evidently produced in excessively limited numbers, and may have acted as a transitional piece. Research indicates that only two examples have reached public auction, once in 2008 and another in 2015. The piece offered here gives strong details and a beautiful honey-golden color. As NGC notes, there is some damage, with the upper portion of the planchet showing an unnatural pattern of wear. Despite this flaw, it is sure to generate much attention with regard to its RARITY and rather UNIQUE historical position.
Estimate: $2000 - $4000