?The coinage of India is interesting, diverse, and at times challenging to collect. The history of Indian coinage spans nearly 2,700 years, with the first coins being punch-marked in the Ganges Valley in the 7th century BC, rivalling the earliest Greek coins. In the following three millennia rulers came and went, with European influence in India first arriving in 1498 with Portuguese sailors. European impact on India still reverberates today, with a cultural exchange that continues to affect both the Western and Indian world. In our May Hong Kong auction, Stack’s Bowers Galleries is delighted to specimens from the Yashoda N. Singh Collection, coins that focus primarily on the time of European influence in India, namely Princely State and Portuguese Indian Coinage.
In the Portuguese portion of the collection, highlights include a Goa 1/2 Manuel (240 Reis), ND (1495-1521) graded NGC AU-55. Stunning high grade and top pop examples of the Goa Rupia series are to be found. Standing out among them is a 1/2 Pardao (150 Reis) with the rare 1846/5 overdate graded PCGS MS-64. From the Princely States series notable highlights include a Baroda Mohur from VS 1959 (1902) graded PCGS MS-64, a copper piefort pattern Ruppe from Baroda graded NGC MS-61, and an 1888 Proof Quarter Anna from Dewas (Junior Branch) graded by PCGS as Proof-65 Red Brown.
To quote Yashoda Singh: "Collections of Indian coins generally have been done by region, period, or ruler. No one to my knowledge has attempted to collect portrait coins exclusively. I therefore believe that a collection of portrait coins is a worthwhile and refreshing addition to type collections. My current collection is one such effort. It includes portrait coins of Portuguese India and pre-Independence States or principalities." We are delighted to offer this cabinet that has been assembled with such care as part of our May 3-7, 2022 Hong Kong sale of more than 7,000 lots of rare and collectible coins, with additional internet lots to follow.
We are always seeking world and ancient coins, medals, and paper money for our auctions, and are currently accepting consignments for the June Collectors Choice Online (CCO) auction and our August 2022 sale. If you would like to learn more about consigning, whether a singular item or an entire collection, please contact a consignment director or email [email protected] today and we will assist you in achieving the best possible return on your material.
