GOLD COINS ISSUED

GOLD COINS ISSUED

(A) - Issues under the Company. 1835 – 1858

i). ‘WILLIAM IIII KING. (1835 – 1837)

TWO MOHURS

This is the highest denomination coin issued in INDIA.

Specifications

Years of issue – 1835

Metal composition –  Gold (11/12^th fineness– i.e. 11/12^th  of pure gold + 1/12^th of alloy.)

Weight –  360 grains (2 Tola) (23.33 gms)

Shape –  Circular

Diameter – 1.25” (31.75 mm)

Edge – milled

Obv –  Effigy of William IV with legend ‘WILLIAM’ on left periphery and ‘IIII, KING.’ on right periphery. Year of issue is shown on the bottom.

Rev – On the center, a Lion standing against a Palm Tree is shown. The denomination of the coin is indicated in both English and Persian, below the Lion. The legend, “EAST INDIA COMPANY” appears at the top periphery.

Minted at – Calcutta

Km Number – # 452

ONE MOHUR

Specifications

Years of issue – 1835

Weight –  180 grains (1 Tola) (11.66 gms)

Diameter – 0.95” (24.1 mm)

Minted at – Calcutta

Km Number – # 451

All other specifications same as previous issue.

Note:

i)               On Mint of issue – During this period, no mint mark was applied on any coin to indicate the mint of issue. The initials of mint masters in microscopic letters were stamped on the gold and silver coins at the truncation of the royal head. These initials helped to identify the product of different mints. These initials are --- F (incused or raised), RS incused, No initial.
       F (incused or raised) – Calcutta mint issue – (‘F’ stood for Major General William Forbes, Master of Calcutta Mint,1836-1855) 
       R.S incuse – Madras mint issue – (‘R.S’ stood for Robert Saunders, Master of Calcutta Mint, 1826 - 1836, and Master of Madras Mint, 1836 - 1845)
      No initial – Bombay mint issue

ii). ‘VICTORIA QUEEN’ – First Series – Continuous Legend (1837 – 1858)

ONE MOHUR

Specifications

Years of issue – 1841

Obv –  Uncrowned head of Victoria Queen with Continuous legend ‘VICTORIA QUEEN ’ on top periphery over her head.

Minted at – Bombay or Calcutta, Madras

Km Number – # 461

All other specifications same as previous William IV issue.

Note:

i ) On Mint of issue –

S incuse – Madras mint issue – (Robert Saunders, Master of Madras Mint)

No initial – Bombay or Calcutta mint issue

iii). ‘VICTORIA QUEEN’ – Second Series –– Divided Legend (1837 – 1858)

ONE MOHUR

Specifications

Years of issue – 1841

Obv –  Uncrowned head of Victoria Queen, with legend written in two parts, ‘VICTORIA’ to the left of royal head and ‘QUEEN ’ to the right.

Minted at – Calcutta

Km Number – # 462

All other specifications same as previous issue.

Note:

i ) On Mint of issue –

WWB, BWW – Bombay mint issue

No initial or WW incuse – Calcutta mint issue

WWS, SWW – Madras mint issue

(B)       -  Issues under the Crown. 1858 – 1947

i). ‘VICTORIA QUEEN’ (1858 – 1876)

ONE MOHUR:

Specifications

Years of issue – 1862, 1870, 1875

Obv –  Crowned bust of Victoria Queen, with legend ‘VICTORIA’ to the left of royal bust and ‘QUEEN ’ to the right.

Reverse – An ornamental circular wreath encloses the value of coin ‘ONE MOHUR’ in two lines in English, with ‘INDIA’ and year of issue shown below. Value in Persian is not shown.

Minted at – Calcutta

Km Number – # 480, 481

All other specifications same as previous MOHUR issues.

TEN RUPEES (2/3 MOHUR) :

Specifications

Years of issue – 1870

Weight –  120 grains (1/3 Tola) (7.77 gms)

Diameter – 0.87” (22.4 mm)

Reverse – An ornamental circular wreath encloses the value of coin ‘TEN RUPEES’ in two lines in English, with ‘INDIA’ and year of issue shown below. Value in Persian is not shown.

Minted at – Calcutta

Km Number – # 477

FIVE RUPEES (1/3 MOHUR) :

Specifications

Years of issue – 1870

Weight –  60 grains (1/3 Tola) (3.88 gms)

Diameter – 0.77” (19.6 mm)

Obv –  Crowned bust of Victoria Queen, with legend ‘VICTORIA’ to the left of royal bust and ‘QUEEN ’ to the right.

Reverse – An ornamental circular wreath encloses the value of coin ‘FIVE RUPEES in two lines in English, with ‘INDIA’ and year of issue shown below. Value in Persian is not shown.

Minted at – Calcutta

Km Number – # 474, 476

ii). ‘VICTORIA EMPRESS’ (1877 – 1901)

ONE MOHUR

Specifications

Years of issue – 1877, 1879 to 1882, 1884, 1885, 1888 to 1892

Obv –  Crowned bust of Empress Victoria, with legend ‘VICTORIA’ on left periphery and ‘EMPRESS ’ on right periphery.

Minted at – Calcutta

Km Number – # 496

            All other specifications same as previous MOHUR issue.

TEN RUPEES (2/3 MOHUR) :

Specifications

Years of issue – 1879

Weight –  120 grains (1/3 Tola) (7.77 gms)

Diameter – 0.87” (22.4 mm)

Obv –  Crowned bust of Empress Victoria, with legend ‘VICTORIA’ on left periphery and ‘EMPRESS ’ on right periphery.

Minted at – Calcutta

Km Number – # 495

            All other specifications same as previous 10 RUPEES issue.

FIVE RUPEES (1/3 MOHUR) :

Specifications

Years of issue – 1879

Obv –  Crowned bust of Empress Victoria, with legend ‘VICTORIA’ on left periphery and ‘EMPRESS ’ on right periphery.

Minted at – Calcutta

Km Number – # 493

            All other specifications same as previous FIVE RUPEES issue.

iii). King George  V (1910 – 1936)

FIFTEEN RUPEES (1 MOHUR) :

This is the last Gold coin issued in British India coins.

Specifications

Years of issue – 1918

Weight –  123.5 grains (7.98 gms)

Diameter –” (22.22 mm)

Obv –  Legend ‘GEORGE  V KING EMPEROR’ around the Crowned bust of King George  V.

Rev – A floral circular wreath encloses the value of coin in English only and the year of issue.

Minted at – Bombay

Km Number – # 525