|
Lot No.261
AUC50
British India
Auction Date: 04-01-2026
Silver
George VI, experimental half-silver rupee, 1939, Bombay mint, Security edge, Prid 236, S&W-9.14. Obv: Portrait bust of George VI facing left, short trefoils in crown, Legend GEORGE VI KING EMPEROR around. Rev: Legend ONE RUPEE INDIA and date, yek rupiya in Persian surrounded by ornate scroll containing rose, thistle and shamrock, lotus flowers above and below, a bead below lower rounded lotus.
A minimally available type, to say the least, as one of British India's scarcest Rupees, with those at any level of preservation garnering impressive interest. In recent decades, an example of this famed "security edge" type have traded hands only a handful of times. While heavily circulated, the piece retains a uniform battleship-gray patina and no significant distracting marks, doing little to detract from the overall scarcity of the example at hand.
NGC F15, Exceedingly rare.
Amid silver shortages during WWII, the Rupee was set to be debased from .917 to .500 fine silver, and a new security edge was introduced to deter counterfeiting. Though dated 1939, these coins were likely struck in 1940 after new dies arrived from London. Only a small number were produced, as the transition to debased 1940 Rupees was swift. With hoarding of high-silver coins expected, continuing .917 production held little value. The security edge variant's origins remain unclear. Circulated examples suggest they were either accidental issues or trial pieces released alongside standard 1939 coins.
View Lot
Estimated Price :
Rs. 25,00,000-35,00,000
Sold For :
Rs. 36,00,000
|