LOT Oswal Antiques  /  Auction No. 109 Mumbai  / 

211

Princely States : Nawanagar

Currency:INR Category:Coins & Paper Money / Indian Coins - Princely States Start Price:1,500,000.00 INR Estimated At:1,500,000.00 - 2,000,000.00 INR
Princely States : Nawanagar
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Jam Sri Vibhaji, Mechanically struck Silver 5 Kori, 14.45g, Possibly a Pattern, VS 1930, Obv: Devanagari legend “Mahārajā/ Dhirāja Jām/ Shri 7 Vibhāji/ Pāch Kori” in four lines in a circle, “Sansthān Nawānagar” above and VS date below, Rev: Devanagari legend within a circular floral scroll “Malīkā/ Ma’āzamā Kween/ Wikatoriā” (Not Published in major sources). Minor test mark on edge otherwise very fine+, probably unique, exceedingly rare. This extremely rare and unusual issue was first published by Ken Wiggins in ONSNL no. 118, in 1989. However, he did not give any details as to what its provenance was and why was it significant, beyond the possibility that it may have been a pattern.
The British government, particularly after the transfer of India’s governance from the East India Company in 1860, had been very keen on consolidating the British rupee as the only currency in all of India. It actively discouraged princely states from having their own coinage, which was considered ‘inferior’ and prone to be substandard as it was privately managed. The princes on the other hand, pushed such pressures back by actively considering using machines to produce coins, so that their currency was as good as British coins. As the date VS 1930 suggests, Nawanagar appears to have tried issuing a silver coinage using machines in early 1870s. It certainly wasn’t alone – its neighbours Kutch, Junagarh and Radhanpur had all experimented around the same time. Machine-struck Copper 3-Dokdo coins bearing VS 1928 are known and 1-Kori pieces bearing VS 1934 as well. For some reasons, the experiment did not take off. Possible reasons include an active interference from the Govt of India in importing the machinery or inadequate supplies of silver to run the mint. Wiggins has remarked on its similarity in design with the 5-Kori coins of Kutch to hazard a guess that it was probably struck in the mint at Bhuj. However, there is no evidence to this suggestion. Whatever be the reason, the coins remain exceptionally rare– this is perhaps the third piece ever known.
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