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Auction: 13019 - North East Indian Coins from the Nicholas Rhodes Collection
Lot: 384

Assam, Gaurinatha Simha (1780-95), octagonal gold Mohur, 11.25, Ahom legends, dated year 13 (of the 60 year cycle), Chao Boi/ Pha Leng-de/don Heu Ciu, rev. Siu-hit-/pang-pha/ Khun ngen La/k-ni Rai-cheu (RB. R1.1; KM. 233), a couple of small punchmarks on the obverse, of the highest rarity, good very fine

provenance
Spink-Taisei, 20th November 1991, lot 453
Ex. Sir G Morton, Glendinnings, 23rd May 1951
According to RB (p. 25), only one such Ahom-script Mohur has survived.

Gaurinatha Simha's reign was full of problems. It was not long before the Moamarias again attempted to rebel. This was unsuccessful and led to persecution of the Vaisnavas. This, in turn, led to a serious revolt in 1789 (Sk. 1709), resulting in Gaurinatha fleeing from Rangpur to Guwahati. The rebels extended their control of upper Assam and, by 1791 (Sk. 1713), had installed their own king, Bharatha Simha, and began to strike coins in his name. Gaurinatha, confined to the western end of his kingdom and about to lose control of Guwahati, appealed to the British for help. This was too good an opportunity for the British to ignore, so they sent six companies of sepoys under Capt. Welsh, recaptured Guwahati and a year later managed to reinstall Gaurinatha on his throne in Rangpur.

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Sold for
£10,000