Description
British East India Company, the Bengal Presidency, Silver Rupee (11.61g, 26mm), ND, ‘frozen’ regnal year 19, ‘Murshidabad’, Calcutta mint circa 1793-1818 AD, struck in the name of Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II. Obverse: Legend in Persian, naming the Mughal emperor, “sikka zad bar haft kishwar sāya fazl ilāh hāmī dīn Muhammad shah ‘ālam bādshāh”. Reverse: As obverse, naming ‘Murshidabad’ and the regnal year, “zarb murshīdābād sanah 19 julūs maimanat mānūs”. Edge: Oblique right grain milling. Stevens-4.18. A few minor adjustment marks to obverse and little rim bumps to reverse, struck boldly, Extremely Fine.
The East India Company silver Rupee was one of the denominations chosen during the Australian Proclamation of 1800 by Philip Gidley King, the Governor of New South Wales. It was revalued to a high face value of 2 Shillings 6 Pence in order to disincentivize the removal of currency from within the Australian colonies. This coin, although a type struck as currency for use as currency within British India, is still considered a piece of Australia’s early colonial history as a proclamation piece.
The obverse Persian legend has an English translation of “Defender of the religion of Muhammad, Shah ‘Alam Emperor, Shadow of the divine favour, put his stamp on the seven climes”. The reverse Persian legend has an English translation of “Struck at Murshidabad in the 19th year of his reign of tranquil prosperity”.