Special Collections
Create new listA highly important unpublished series of eight patterns of George VI, once in the collection of a former Indian Government official
The Uniform Coinage of India, British Imperial Period: Patterns, George VI, original silver Pattern Half-Rupee, 1946, Calcutta, unsigned [by P.W.M. Brindley], crowned bust left, george vi king emperor, rev. tiger walking left with all legs erect, groundline below, half rupee above, india and date below, adha rupiya in Devanagri and Urdu at sides, edge grained, 24mm, 6.44g/12h (Prid. 1090; SW 9.70; KM. –). Some spotting and discolouration, otherwise about extremely fine, of the highest rarity; perhaps only one other specimen known, that illustrated in 1964 £5,000-£7,000
This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Puddester Collection.
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Owner’s ticket and envelope, “F.K. Wezel’s tiger design incorporated in rev. by P.W.M. Brindley. Not adopted...”.
XRF analysis shows the metal content as 80% silver, 15% copper, with traces of nickel and lead, which reinforces the opinions of Pridmore (p.188) and Stevens/Weir (p.312), none of whom saw a specimen. The design finally approved for the new nickel coins depicting the Indian tiger was modelled by Patrick Brindley from the animal which appeared on the 1901 pattern by F.K. Wezel (Prid. 1045: see Lot 1640). Brindley (†1989), who had assumed the posts of artist/engraver at both Bombay and Calcutta after the retirement of A.P. Spencer in June 1945, worked in India until 1961, then subsequently for the governments of Sudan and Canada. This coin has only been illustrated once before, in World Coins Monthly, February 1964, p.87
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