Summary
1 Mohur, 1841
Issued by East India Company, India, 1841-1850
Minted by Madras Mint
Obverse Description
Head of the Queen facing left; around above, VICTORIA QUEEN; below, 1841.; incuse on neck truncation, S (for J.T. Smith, Mint Master at Madras)
Reverse Description
A lion advancing to left in front of a palm tree; around above, EAST INDIA COMPANY; in exergue, ONE MOHUR and a line in Persian script (yek ashrafi; translation: one mohur)
Edge Description
Milled (vertical)
Significance
This gold mohur continues the tradition of its predecessor (the mohur of William IIII which bore the frozen date 1835). Now showing the head of Queen Victoria, the new coins bear the frozen date 1841 and were not legal tender. Legal tender was the silver rupee, the value of the gold mohur in rupees varied with the relative market prices of gold and silver. However, from 13 January 1841 Treasuries were ordered to accept the mohur at the original 1835 fixed rate of 15 rupees.
The Type 1 (continuous legend) obverse of this coin was prepared from the matrix die for the 1/2 Rupee coin at the Calcutta Mint after the dies sent from London failed to produce satisfactory coins. The incuse letter 'S' on the neck truncation refers to the Madras Mint Master, J.T. Smith, who was in charge of the mint throughout the period that this coin type was being struck.
More Information
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), 15 Mar 1976
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Date Issued
1841 AD
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Issued By
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Mint
Madras (Mint), India
The incuse letter S on the neck truckation refers to J.T. Smith, Mint Master at Madras from 1840 till September 1855. The date, 1841, on the coin was frozen, the date of coin production is indicated by date of introduction of the type (1841) and the introduction of the Type 2 (divided legend) mohur at Madras in June 1851 -
Other Association (See Comments)
J. T. Smith - Madras (Mint), India
Mint Master at Madras, his initial, S, appears incuse on the Queen's neck truncation -
Denomination
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Series
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Material
Gold
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Axis
12
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Dimensions
26 mm (Outside Diameter), 11.661 g (Weight)
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Shape
Round
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References
Pridmore 20 KM#461.3
[Book] Bruce, Colin R. 2006. Standard Catalogue of World Coins 1801 - 1900.
[Book] Pridmore, Fred. 1975. The Coins of the British Commonwealth of Nations, Part 4, India. 1., Vol.2 p. 26 Pages
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Keywords
British Commonwealth Coins, British Commonwealth and Empire Coins
