The Puddester Collection (Part I)

East India Company, Bengal Presidency, Calcutta Mint: Coinage for Benares, copper Double-Pice in the name of ‘Shah ‘Alam II (1173-1221h/1759-1806), frozen yr 37 [1807-9], sanah julus 37 shah alam badshah [in the 37th year of the emperor Shah ‘Alam], rev. do pai sikka/do pai sikka [two pai sikka], 13.11g/12h (Prid. 303 [not in Sale]; Stevens 7.179; Stevens website image 1755, this coin; KM. A55). Very fine with dark patina, extremely rare £500-£700

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

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Collection

P.J.E. Stevens Collection, Part III, Stephen Album Auction 25 (Santa Rosa, CA), 19-21 May 2016, lot 1400, ticket.

Owner’s ticket and envelope, ‘the double pice currency coin is without doubt the most difficult of the series to obtain. Have been looking for 40 years [before acquiring this one]’.

The Calcutta-manufactured pice coinage of 1807-9 was not accepted in Benares and the local shroffs exported them to Bihar and Patna, where they circulated