British Indian and Mughal Coins

Alexandrina Victoria (1819-1901), universally remembered as Queen Victoria, ascended the British throne on 20 June 1837 and remained sovereign until her death on 22 January 1901. Her remarkable reign of nearly sixty-four years, the longest in British history at that time, gave its name to the Victorian Era, a transformative period characterized by rapid industrialization, scientific advancement, political reform, military expansion, and the unprecedented growth of the British Empire. Under her rule, Britain emerged as the world's dominant imperial power, and its influence extended across the Indian subcontinent, leaving a lasting legacy on the nation's monetary system. From a numismatic perspective, the coinage of Queen Victoria issued for British India can be broadly classified into four distinct phases, each reflecting significant political and administrative developments. The first phase (1840-1850) belongs to the administration of the East India Company and is commonly re...

A small, coin-shaped copper object with a central hole was recovered, as shown in the figure below. The object weighs 3.28 g and has a diameter of 22.8 mm. But both sides are quite similar. Nothing was written on it. The intricate floral scrollwork is instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with late British India bronze coinage. If you look closely at the top of the circular wreath on both sides, you can see the distinctive bunch of grapes, flanked by stylized vines, leaves, and flowers moving down the left and right rims. This can be described as below photo. It can be a Pattern, Token, or Uniface/Blank Central Die Trial: During World War II, the British administration introduced the holed " 1 Pice " to save metal. Before or during production, the mints (Calcutta, Bombay, Lahore, and Pretoria) tested dies. This piece appears to have been struck using only the outer decorative wreath die on both sides, leaving the central ring entirely blank where the denomination inse...

King Edward VII, the eldest son of Queen Victoria, ascended the British throne in 1901 following his mother's death. During his reign, Indian coinage underwent a transition, and coins bearing his portrait were issued between 1903 and 1910. Among these, the 1904 One Rupee coin of British India is regarded as one of the most attractive silver issues of the Edwardian period . Struck in 91.7% silver, the coin weighs approximately 11.66 grams and has a diameter of about 30.5 mm. At the time, the rupee served as the primary silver currency throughout British India. The 1904 rupee was produced at both the Calcutta and Bombay Mints. Coins struck at the Calcutta Mint were issued without a mint mark , in accordance with the mint's standard practice. In contrast, Bombay Mint specimens can be identified by a small incuse “B” beneath the crown on the reverse. Collectors also recognize Bombay issues by a tiny dot associated with the lotus-bud stem design. These subtle differences mak...

Alexandrina Victoria, historically known as Queen Victoria , reigned over the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1837 until her death in 1901. Her more than six-decade rule marked the Victorian Era , a period of profound transformation characterized by rapid industrialization, political reform, scientific innovation, and expanding global influence. Under her leadership, the British Empire reached unparalleled scale, shaping international trade, culture, and geopolitics for generations. The 1896 Quarter Anna of British India was a small copper coin issued during Queen Victoria’s reign. Minted at the Calcutta Mint , coins from this mint typically do not carry a mint mark, which can make attribution slightly more nuanced for collectors, the coin generally weighed around 6.3 grams, measured about 25.2 mm in diameter, and had a thickness of approximately 1.2 mm. It featured a plain edge and, over time, developed a dark brown patina typical of aged copper. The obverse displa...

Queen Victoria , who reigned from 1837 to 1901, oversaw one of the most remarkable and collectible coinage periods in British India . Her long tenure is often divided into four main coinage phases, each distinguished by unique design features that help numismatists categorize and identify individual issues. 1840–1850: Continuous Legend (East India Company) – Early Victorian coins from this period display a youthful portrait of the queen surrounded by the inscription VICTORIA QUEEN in an uninterrupted circular legend. Collectors value these coins for their elegant engraving and the subtle variations in early dies. 1850–1860: Divided Legend (East India Company) – In this era, the legend is split by the portrait, with VICTORIA on one side and QUEEN on the other. This small but significant design change provides an important marker for mid-19th century issues. 1862–1876: Imperial Coinage (Crown Rule) – Following the transfer of authority to ...

George Frederick Ernest Albert, widely known as George V , reigned as King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, as well as Emperor of India, from 1910 to 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Queen Victoria , he was the second son of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales . During George V’s reign, the silver Rupee was minted from 1911 to 1922. Between 1911 and 1920, the Rupees were struck at both the Calcutta and Bombay Mints, while the 1921–1922 issues were produced exclusively at Bombay. The coins featured a milled edge and an average weight of approximately 11.6 grams, with diameters ranging from 30.5 mm to 30.8 mm. Distinguishing features include a raised dot beneath the bottom flower on Bombay-minted coins, absent on Calcutta issues. The reverse commonly displayed an Indian lotus at the bottom, with a small dot at its center. An intriguing specimen of a 1916 Rupee from the Bombay Mint exhibits a diameter of 30.5 mm and a slightly elevated weight of 11.67 grams....

Albert Frederick Arthur George, widely known as George VI , ruled as King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 1936 to 1952. He also served as the last Emperor of British India , holding this title until the end of the British Raj in August 1947. Coins struck during his reign, including the 1944 2-anna issues , bear his effigy and offer a glimpse into the late colonial coinage of India. In 1944, during the reign of George VI, the 2-anna coin of British India was produced at two major mints: the Bombay Mint and the Lahore Mint . These coins were part of the wartime coinage issued in the later years of British rule in India. A notable numismatic distinction between the two mints lies in the mint mark style used below the year. Coins struck at the Bombay Mint bear a small dot beneath the date “1944”, which served as the identifying mint mark for Bombay issues. In contrast, the coins produced at the Lahore Mint do not carry this dot, making them ide...

Alexandrina Victoria, better known to history as Queen Victoria , ruled the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign, lasting more than six decades, gave its name to the Victorian Era , a transformative age defined by rapid industrial growth, major political reform, scientific advancement, and expanding military power. During this time, Britain strengthened its global influence, and the British Empire reached an unprecedented scale, shaping world affairs, trade, and culture for generations. The 1862 British India Quarter Anna (Victoria Queen) is a copper fractional coin struck during the early years of Crown rule following the 1857 transfer of power. Featuring the crowned left-facing bust of Queen Victoria on the obverse with the legend VICTORIA QUEEN , the reverse displays the denomination ONE QUARTER ANNA and the year 1862 within a beaded circle and wreath. The typical official specifications list a diameter of approximately 25.5 m...

William IV , born William Henry, was the last monarch to rule as King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland as well as King of Hanover , reigning from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837 . He was the third son of George III . During his reign, the East India Company issued silver rupees bearing the date 1835 , which are known today in several distinct varieties. In addition to these officially dated issues, numismatic evidence also points to the existence of an exceptionally rare rupee dated 1840 carrying his name. Furthermore, rotation errors observed on rupees from William IV’s period are relatively well documented and frequently encountered among surviving specimens. The silver rupee issued in the name of William IV represents one of the most distinctive coinages of the East India Company period. Although William IV reigned from 1830 to 1837, the standard rupee bearing his name is dated 1835 and exists in multiple varieties, reflecting differences in lettering, ...