The Puddester Collection (Part II)

Foreword

The second part of the Puddester collection focuses on the uniform coinage of British India –firstly under the East India Company from 1835, and then issues of the Government of India from 1858 until independence in 1947.

As with Part I, the cataloguing follows Pridmore’s order of numbering, with a few exceptions.

Among the 1,181 coins in this sale are some superb treasures from both sides of the 1858 divide. Not least among them is one of the very few currency issue double-mohurs of William IV now extant (lot 908), the exceptional ‘specimen’ mohur which graces the front cover of the catalogue (lot 911) and, as one of many of Fred Pridmore’s coins purchased by the cataloguer for Bob in 1983, his 1854 silver proof mohur (lot 916). Other rarities were gathered from various sales in the 1980s, a superb original 1849 pattern set (lot 954) being just one such.

Of course, pre-dating these are the series of pattern rupees inspired by the original eŠfforts of James Prinsep, some of which incorporated John Flaxman’s classic lion and palm design (lots 1025-31). These conclude with the exceptionally rare...