The Puddester Collection

The Uniform Coinage of India, British Imperial Period: Patterns, Edward VII, original silver Pattern Rupee, 1901 [June-July 1901], Calcutta, by F.K. Wezel, type A/1, uncrowned bust right, k.w. [K. Wezel] on truncation, eduardus vii rex et imperator [Edward VII King and Emperor], rev. tiger walking left on groundline, yek rupiya in Persian and Nagri above and below, all within decorative arched circle, one rupee india and date around, crown above, lotus flower below, edge grained, 11.58g/12h (Prid. 1045 [Sale, lot 194]; SW 7.1; KM. Pn66; cf. Fore II, 817). Trifling hairlines, otherwise brilliant and toned, extremely rare £10,000-£15,000

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

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A.P. Spencer (London) Collection
Sir John Wheeler Collection, Baldwin Auction 22 (London), 2 May 2000, lot 257 [from Spink (London) March 1980].

Owner’s ticket and envelope.

Following the death of Queen Victoria, coins struck throughout 1901 for circulation continued to bear her effigy and titles. Behind the scenes, preparation was being made for a redesign of the coinage, and the Calcutta mint engraver F.K. Wezel prepared two patterns for the new rupee, believed to have been completed by July 1901. Specimens of both types were despatched from Calcutta to the India Office in London, which passed them on to the Royal Mint for comment. The Mint criticised almost every part of the design except for the tiger and the inscriptions in Persian and Nagri script, and wondered why the Victorian reverse design had not been continued with. Conceding that the obverse legend could be changed, authorities in India sought to submit Wezel’s designs to the King for his opinion, but events in London took a turn when the Viceroy requested that the uncrowned head of the King as used on the gold sovereign be used for the Indian coinage. The King agreed to that, but he preferred a newly-prepared Calcutta reverse design, and accordingly work was put in hand in the summer of 1902