g India, British India, uniform series, George V (1910-36), gold 15 Rupees, 1918, Bombay mint, crowned bust left, GEORGE V KING EMPEROR surrounding, rev. denomination, country and date across four lines 15 RUPEES - INDIA 1918 centre, all within floral scroll, edge milled, 7.99g (Pr. 25; SW 8.1). An excellent example retaining full mint lustre, extremely fine or better.
Calendar year mintage 2,110,000.
In 1917 permission was granted for a gold Sovereign, dated 1918, to be struck in India at the rate of 15 Rupees and with the mint mark I. It was produced at a branch of the Royal Mint which was established for the purpose in Bombay. Nevertheless, being essentially a foreign denomination it did not prove popular. In 1918 the gold 15 Rupees was authorized with the same size, and fineness as the sovereign, and was struck by the Bombay Mint itself, for one year only. The gold 15 Rupees ceased to be legal tender in 1927 and although the mintage figures are higher for the 15 Rupees than for the 1918I Sovereign, the gold 15 Rupees remains the scarcer coin by far for collectors today and is an essential component to any British India collection.
Price realized | 2'400 GBP |
Starting price | 1'800 GBP |