East India Company, Bombay Presidency, Early coinages: English design, silver Pattern Rupee in the name of Charles II (1070-96h/1660-85), 1677, unsigned [by G. Bower], struck in London, mm. quatrefoil, · by avthority of charles the second · around the rvpee · of bombaim, two floral ornaments below, rev. crowned royal arms, king · of · great · britaine · france · and · ireland around, edge plain, 11.17g/8h (Prid. 19 [not in Sale]; Stevens 1.12; KM. Pn1). Shallow relief, about extremely fine and toned, excessively rare, only one other specimen known (British Museum 1844-4-25-35, the Pridmore plate coin) £80,000-£100,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Puddester Collection.

View
Collection

H.H. Allan Collection, Sotheby Auction (London), 7-10 July 1908, lot 383
B. Roth Collection, Part II, Sotheby Auction (London), 14-17 October 1918, lot 440
V.M. Brand Collection, Spink Auction 50 (London), 6-7 March 1986, lot 221.

Owner’s ticket and envelope.

Gerald Aungier’s proposals for a rupee bearing the name of Charles II came to fruition in February 1677, when a proposed design was shown at Court in London and later approved by the King. From their better fabric, it may be determined that the rupees dated 1677, and many of those dated 1678, were struck in London. Dies and coining instruments were sent out from London, arriving in August 1678, but the loss of the ‘expert coiner’, one John Morrice, to consumption within a week of landing at Bombay, left the project rudderless. All efforts to strike coins in Bombay with decent impressions were unsuccessful, the blame being placed on the shallowness and low relief of George Bower’s dies