Los 7961

Rupee-sized AE uniface trial strike of the improved ‘Char Minar’-design, ND (probably 1902-1903) - 30 mm, 9.31 g., edge with straight milling - good VF, because of the trouble and loss on account of the handmade currency, the Hyderabad Government decided to make a machine made currency of a more intricate design which could not be easily copied by counterfeiters. For this reason in 1319H. (1901/02) over 700,000 Rupees of the Char Minar-type were struck and sent to the Central Treasury. They were however rejected before they went into circulation because of poor design and other imperfections and subsequently withdrawn from the Treasury to the Mint, melted and in 1321H. re-coined with a new "Char Minar"-design, which type became current up to the demonetisation of the Hyderabad currency in 1953. The Char Minar on the 1321H. and subsequent issues look much more slender than on the issue of 1319H. As the issue of 1319H. was most probably rejected on account of the somewhat clumsy design of the Char Minar an improved design was required, which is shown by this pattern (Ref: The introduction of machine-struck coinage in the state of Hyderabad, by Jan Lingen ONS-NL 153 (1997) p.13-19, #28), _x000D_ The off-metal strike is in all aspects identical, if not the same, with the specimen #28 illustrated by me in the article of the Oriental Numismatic Societies Newsletter #153 (Summer 1997) p.13-19. The image was prior to this publication received from Baldwins Auctions in London, together with a couple of other photographs of pattern strikes of Hyderabad coins. _x000D_ Years ago the British Museum recovered a couple of dies (ncl. some used for Hyderabad coins) from the estate of Pinches, The famous firm of medal makers, London. Pinches did much work on commission of Spink & Son Ltd., London and it is possible that the dies and the subsequent patterns were ordered by this firm. As the records of Spink & Son Ltd were destroyed in a fire by the German V2-attack on London during World War II, this can unfortunately not now be verified. _x000D_ Despite that documentation is scarcely available and although this coin is seen and rejected by NGC, there is in my sincere opinion no doubt about the authenticity of the object concerned._x000D_ Sincerely, Jan Lingen