INDIA. Ross Island Penal Colony. Copper Rupee Token, 1861. Calcutta Mint. Victoria. PCGS EF-45.
KM-Tn1; Prid-1. With Central hole. Amongst the RAREST and most desired issues from not only the British colonial coinages, but amongst all coining countries in general. The Ross Island Penal colony was a British Penal colony created in the remote Andaman Islands after the Indian Revolt of 1857 and functioned in a similar fashion to early British Penal colonies in Australia and the United States. Nearly the entire population of the colony was convicts, and the penal superintendent suggested a token coinage to meet the meager internal economic needs of the colony. The obverse of the issue was adapted from a Straits Settlement Cent, with the reverse suggested by the superintendent. This issue was produced at the Calcutta Mint and circulated with a later 1866 issue until all penal coinage was recalled in 1870. While it is not certain how many examples survive, the number is meager and demand always outstrips supply. This issue represents the chance to acquire a coin from one of the shortest lived issuers, and no collection containing a coin from each nation can be considered complete without a piece from the Andaman islands. The present representative is supremely engaging, with only limited circulation and much appeal throughout. A piece that will certain strike the fancy of collectors of British Colonial coinage, Indian issues, or just general world coins.

Estimate: $25000