British Indian and Mughal Coins

King Edward VII, the eldest son of Queen Victoria, ascended the throne in 1901 following her death on 22 January of that year. The Indian coinage bearing his portrait, known as the Edward VII series, was issued between 1903 and 1910. A notable feature of these coins is the uncrowned effigy of the king. Since the master dies were prepared before his coronation on 9 August 1902, his image appeared without the crown. The Half Pice issued under King Edward VII was among the smallest denominations in circulation during British India. Minted between 1903 and 1910, the coin marked the shift in design style that followed the end of Queen Victoria’s reign. On the obverse, it featured an uncrowned portrait of Edward VII, a distinctive trait of his coinage since the master dies were created prior to his coronation. The reverse side displayed the denomination in both English and vernacular scripts, encircled by a decorative wreath, along with the year of issue. Though carrying minimal value, e...

The Bengal Province of British India, formerly known as the Presidency of Fort William, was widely recognized as the Bengal Presidency. At the height of its authority, it encompassed vast regions that today form parts of both South Asia and Southeast Asia. The rupees of the Bengal Presidency were issued in both semi–machine struck and fully machine struck forms during the transition from traditional minting methods to modern industrial techniques. Semi–machine struck coins, produced in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, retained elements of hand striking but incorporated mechanical aids for improved uniformity. By the mid-19th century, fully machine struck rupees became standard, offering precise designs, consistent weights, and higher production efficiency, reflecting the technological advancement of the Bengal Presidency’s mints under British rule. The Bengal Presidency rupees, both semi–machine struck and fully machine struck were typically composed of silver with a finenes...