Missing Persian Font on Rupee of Victoria Queen in 1840

Alexandrina Victoria was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1837 until her death on 1901. She was commonly known as Queen Victoria. Her reign is known as the Victorian era. It was a period of industrial, political, scientific, and military change within the United Kingdom and was marked by a great expansion of the British Empire.

During the reign of Victoria Queen, coins mintages are divided in four eras. 1840 to 1850 was continuous legend under East India Company. Coins with continuous legend refer to the legend VICTORIA QUEEN running continuously over the Queen’s head. 1850 to 1860 was divided legend under East India Company. Coins with divided legend on Obverse VICTORIA QUEEN is divided by Queen’s head. The direct rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent started on 1958 was the British Raj was lasted up to 1947. The region under British control was commonly called India in contemporaneous usage and included areas directly administered by the United Kingdom, which were collectively called British India. 1862 to 1876 was imperial coinage under crown administration. Continuous dating on coin was started from 1874. Year was mentioned by dot from 1862 to 1874 with the dated coins of 1862. 1877 to 1901 was Victoria Empress while the British Parliament voted to grant Victoria Queen the additional title of Empress of India on 1876.

During the period of East India Company (Continuous Legend and Divided Legend) of Queen Victoria, Rupee was minted in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras. Obverse of the Rupee was clearly different for during Continuous Legend and Divided Legend. Lettering of VICTORIA QUEEN was as a normal sentence over Queen’s head for Continuous legend but two words VICTORIA and QUEEN were divided by Queen’s head during the period of Divided Legend.

Rupee of 1940 of Continuous Legend having a diameter 30.5~32.3mm, weight around 11.6~11.68g with milled edge, thickness around 1.8mm and material is around 92% silver. Obverse of the Rupee has the head of the Queen facing left; VICTORIA QUEEN all within a raised, toothed rim over Queen’s head. Reverse of the Rupee contain the value in English and Persian (ONE RUPEE and یک روپیے), all within a wreath of laurel; EAST INDIA COMPANY on top and 1840 at the bottom, all within a raised, toothed rim. But I found a rupee of Continuous Legend without that Persian Font, except dot. Though there has some scratch, but quite difficult to mark as hand made by observing through the missing font.



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