The Puddester Collection (Part I)

East India Company, Bengal Presidency, Calcutta Mint: First milled issue, silver Rupee in the name of ‘Shah ‘Alam II (1173-1221h/1759-1806), frozen year 1202h and regnal yr 19 [1792], type 1, naming Murshidabad, sikka zad bar haft kishwar saya fazl ilah hami din muhammad shah alam badshah [defender of the religion of Muhammad, Shah ‘Alam emperor, shadow of the divine favour, put his stamp on the seven climes], two pellets in top line and no secret privy marks in lower line, rev. zarb murshidabad sanah 19 julus maimanat manus [struck at Murshidabad in the 19th year of his reign of tranquil prosperity], edge grained right, 11.66g/12h (Prid. 153 [Sale lot 608]; Stevens 4.9; KM. 106). A superb specimen of this iconic coinage, practically as struck and attractively toned, very rare [certified and graded NGC MS 63] £1,500-£2,000

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

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Collection

R.J. Ford (Detroit, MI) Collection
SNC (London) April 1982 (3314), ticket.

Owner’s ticket and envelope.

In his pursuit of the finest specimen of this issue obtainable in the early 1980s, the owner traded up from two others (SNC November 1980, 9430, and SNC February 1982, 785).

Although Pridmore assigned this type to the 1790 coinage trials, these broad-rim rupees are thought to be associated with the trial of laminating and cutting machinery in 1792, evidenced by Stevens (2012, pp.157-8)