United East India Company
Copper - Pattern

Probably a preliminary pattern for the Soho copper coinage of 1802. At the time initial enquiries were made for an English minted coinage, Ceylon was nominally under the control of the E.I.C. The obverse designs are from normal dies used for the V. E.I.C.'s Madras Presidency 1/48th rupee coinages of 1794 and 1797, except that the Year on obverse and 48 and TO ONE RUPEE on reverse are omitted with the legend on the broad rim has been respaced.

Denomination(1 Dub)
AlloyCopper
TypeStruck
ShapeRound
EdgeIncuse letters
MintEngland
Weight13.27 gms
Diameter30.8 mm
Thickness2.0 mm
Die-Axis180°
Year ND (1802)
veic_cu_pattern_obverse veic_cu_pattern_reverse
Pridmore #258; Ceylon KM#Pn2
Obverse: Company's Bale Mark inscribed V E I C. On a broad rim along the periphery UNITED EAST INDIA COMPANY and · at bottom.
Reverse: Unique Elephant facing Left. On the broad rim along the periphery on top, the motto BY WISDOM AND FORCE.
Rim: Incuse ENGLISH UNITED EAST INDIA COMPANY

The bale Mark which was stamped on goods of the Company had letters V E I C (Vnited East India Company) placed in each quadrant within a heart, parted by a cross saltire, and crested with a 4.

Comment by Pridmore Only two specimens known. Possibly struck at the Soho mint circa 1802. This and No's 259 and 260 were perhaps preliminary patterns for the Soho copper coinage of 1802. At the time initial inquiries were made for an English minted coinage, Ceylon was nominally under the control of the E.I.C. The obverse designs are from normal dies used for the E.I.C.'s Madras (Circars) 1/48th rupee coinages of 1794 and 1797, except that on No. 258, the legend on the broad rim has been respaced and the year date omitted. For the reverse designs, the elephant on No. 258 is peculiar to itself, but on Nos. 259 and 260 it is almost identical with the elephant that occurs on* the ordinary 1802 Soho issue. On No. 261, the elephant is that of the 1802 currency coin and the piece is a Mule.

With no Value below ground line or on a broad rim below along the periphery, this is technically a VEIC medal.

Dick Ford collection (in Taisei-Baldwin-Gillio Auctions #19 Ceylon 1995 February 23, Singapore. lot#248 Estimate: US$1000, sold for US$1,600; (+10% BP).

The 300 dpi scan of printed image in Baldwin 1995 Dick Ford Collection Auction 124 lot 248 colorized and displayed at 254 dpi.

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