Lot 2063

Description

Bombay Presidency, Indian design, Bombay (Munbai) Mint issue, in the name of 'Alamgir II (A.H.1167-1173, A.D. 1754-1759), silver rupee, regnal year 5 (1758-9), with crescent on reverse, (cf.Pr. 75, KM.176). Good very fine, excessively rare and unpublished and possibly unique.

Ex Robert Senior, England, January 15, 1986 by private treaty (£70) and Colin E. Pitchfork Collection, Noble Numismatics Sale 48 (lot 2070). The crescent on the coinage for a year 5 rupee changes Pridmore's hypothesis (p.155) that the issue was one with a fixed regnal year of 9. He believes the issue is a posthumous one, and that they were struck at another mint and intended for a particular locality. It is important to note that no known pieces exist with a A.H. or hijri date. However it is more probable that this piece was issued by 'Alamgir II in 1758-9 and represented a change in type to signify the new firman of September 4, 1759. The year 9 issues without change in 'Alamgir II name continued as a posthumous issue under the terms and conditions already specified as the EIC in Bombay no longer considered it necessary to seek a continuation of approval from the new Emperor Shah Alam II.