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Auction: 25122 - Spink Numismatic e-Circular 41: The Falcon Collection of Islamic Gold and Silver Coins and The Shepherd Collection of Indian States and Presidency Coinage. - e-Auction
Lot: 2397

(g) Princely States, Kashmir, Dogra Rajas, Ranbir Singh (1857-1885), gold Nazarana or Nisar 'Ceremonial' coin, 1.40g, Srinagar, date off flan, in style of third silver series reduced weight Rupees (Y.#16b), leaf mark divides Persian legend, Raghanatha Ji Saha'i zarb Srinagar, with J.H.S (Jesus Hominum Salvator) below (mostly off flan), rev. part of Takari legend Raghanatha Ji Saha Jarava Srinagara (date) (KM. Y#22 var. See also ONS Newsletter no. 125, July - August 1990, Stan Goron, p. 6, and no. 128, March - May 1991, "The Gold 1/4 Mohur of the Ranbir Singh of Kashmir: some further comments", N. G. Rhodes, p. 10), very rare, unrecorded at this weight, uncirculated

Provenance

The Shepherd Collection of Indian States and Presidency Coinage


Although other known coins of this type are of a heavier weight, if this coin was intended for a ceremonial purpose, such as Nazarana or Nisar donation /distribution, then it's weight would not necessarily have had to conform to an exact fraction of a Mohur. In fact, no Mohurs are known for Ranbir Singh, and the Third Series of silver Rupees were struck at a weight between 6.6 and 6.8g.

Other identical coins are also offered in this auction, and it is notable that, although they all appear to have been struck from the same obverse die, there are at least two different reverse dies in the group. The date, where visible, is always VS193- (either a deliberate omission of the last digit, or as N. Rhodes suggests (ONS 128 -see above) intended to represent VS 1932 = 1875). When Rhodes discussed these coins in 1991 only around ten were known.

For previously offered similar coins see:

The Michael Sarnfors Collection of Indian Coins (part 1), Baldwins et al. New York Sale XI, Jan 11, 2006, lot 514

CNG, Triton XIX, 5 Jan 2016, lot 2437

Spink, Auction 344, New York, 13 Jan, 2019, lot 282


Please note this coin is not currently graded by third party authentication services.



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Estimate

Starting price
£250