The Puddester Collection (Part I)

East India Company, Bengal Presidency, Calcutta Mint: Second milled issue, silver Half-Rupee in the name of ‘Shah ‘Alam II (1173-1221h/1759-1806), no hegira date, frozen regnal yr 19 [1793-1818], naming Murshidabad, sikka zad bar haft kishwar saya fazl ilah hami din muhammad shah alam badshah [defender of the religion of Muhammad, Shah ‘Alam emperor, shadow of the divine favour, put his stamp on the seven climes], with pellet in heh of shah but no other private marks, rev. zarb murshidabad sanah 19 julus maimanat manus [struck at Murshidabad in the 19th year of his reign of tranquil prosperity], edge grained right, 5.82g/12h (Prid. 158 var. [Sale, lot 612]; Stevens 4.20 var.; KM. 97.1). Good very fine and toned, presumably very rare [certified and graded NGC AU 58] £140-£180

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Puddester Collection.

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Collection

F. Pridmore Collection, Part II, Glendining Auction (London), 18-19 October 1982, lot 612 [from Baldwin (London) March 1974], ticket.

Owner’s ticket.

The possible significance of the extra pellet has not yet been determined; a similar coin but with an extra pellet above the crescent (Stevens website image 1422, third coin) has also been published