Ancient, British and World Coins, Tokens and Banknotes

India, Bombay, Duncan, Stratton & Co, bronze Coining Trials or Proving Pieces by Greenwood & Batley of Leeds (2), G&B monogram, reverse tiger, 30 and 24mm (Bullmore, SNC 1979, p.439, nos. 5 and 6). Very fine and better, rare, particularly the smaller size (£40-60)

The Leeds firm of Greenwood & Batley was founded in 1856, and they supplied coining presses and associated machinery to a number of foreign mints. In February 1905 their agents in India, Duncan, Stratton & Co of Bombay, ordered six coining presses at £275 each on behalf of H.H. The Nizam of Hyderabad’s mint. These were delivered in February 1906. The proving pieces struck from the new machinery were ostensibly to the size and weight of the rupee, half, quarter and eighth-rupee denominations; the above two pieces are of rupee and half-rupee size