Rare Indian and Chinese Coins at Stephen Album

Stephen Album Rare Coins will hold its Auction 49 from June 13-16, 2024, at their offices in Santa Rosa, California. The auction is made up of 4075 lots of Ancient, Islamic, Indian, Chinese, and World Coins. The first two days will be in-person bidding as well as on the internet, while the third and fourth days will be internet-only sessions. Featured in the auction will be the Dr. Dirk Löer Collection of Chinese Coins, the Almer H. Orr III Collection of World Coins, the Roland Dauwe Collection of the Mint of Qumm, the Howard A. Daniel III Collection of Asian Coins, the Jürgen M. Wilmes Collection of Openwork Charms, the Professor Richard Haiman Collection of World Gold, and the Charles W. Lueders III Collection of Indian and Asian Coins. Some highlights from the sale follow:

Lot 712.

• Lot 712: India: Mughal: Jahangir, 1605-1628, gold mohur, Agra, AH1035 year 20, cf. KM-168.1 (rupee), citing both Jahangir and his chief consort Nur Jahan, Persian couplet ba hukm shah jahangir yafta sad zevar // ba nam-e-noor jahan badshah begam zer (“[Coin struck] by the order of Shah Jahangir, [this] gold has a hundred beauties gained with the inscription of the name of Nur Jahan, the Badshah Begum”); extremely rare and unpublished in Krause; two minor edge defects, very slightly bent, with stunning brilliant original lustrous fields! NGC UNC Details, RRR. Estimated at $80,000 to $100,000.

Lot 1582.

• Lot 1582: China: Republic: AR dollar, Central Mint, Tientsin, ND (1914), Y-322, L&M-858, K-642, 39mm Regular Strike type, Commemorative for the Founding of the Republic of China; facing bust of Yuan Shih Kai in military attire and tall, plumed hat // value within wreath, a wonderful lustrous mint state example with light peripheral tone! PCGS graded MS64. Estimated at $50,000 to $60,000.

Lot 749.

• Lot 749: India: Sikh Empire: AV 1/4 mohur (2.47g), Amritsar, VS1882 (1825), KM-23, a wonderful mint state example; all Sikh gold of Amritsar is extremely rare, aside from the small gold rupees struck at Multan dated VS1905, but fractional gold is of the greatest rarity. There are only about 5 half mohurs filed on CoinArchives, but no quarter mohurs. Herrli cited just over ten known dated for the full mohur, just one year for the half mohur, and only a reference that two dates “have been reported” for the quarter mohur, PCGS graded MS64, RRR. Estimated at $40,000 to $50,000.
• Lot 1576: China: Republic: AR dollar, ND (1912), Y-320.2, L&M-44A, Li Yuan Hung wearing Wuchang New Army military cap, “H” in CHINA without crossbar “CI IINA”, a lovely example with sharp die polish marks and brilliant nearly prooflike luster! PCGS graded MS63, ex Almer H. Orr III Collection. Estimated at $30,000 to $50,000.
• Lot 506: Islamic: Ghaznavid: Ibrahim, 1059-1099, gilt bronze medallion (70.42g), Ghazna, AH454, 68.5mm; the obverse bears religious legends and the name of the caliph al-Qa’im bi-amr Allah (AH422-467, 1031-1075), the reverse has the name and titles of the Ghaznavid king Ibrahim (AH451-492, 1059-1099) plus the mint and date, Ghazna AH454, plus the “denomination” dinar, as on the regular circulating gold coins; pierced 6 times around the rim for safe honorific attachment to clothing or other objects; VF-XF, RRRR. Estimated at $20,000 to $25,000.

Lot 1408.

• Lot 1408: World: Nepal: Girvan Yuddha Vikrama, 1799-1816, AV 4 mohars (duitola asarphi) (23.11g), SE1720 (1802), cf. Rhodes-727/730, struck circa 1849 for the visit of Jung Bahadur Rana to London the following year, a historically significant example of the highest rarity (RRRR)! PCGS graded Specimen 63. Estimated at $18,000 to $22,000.
• Lot 967: World: Great Britain: Victoria, 1837-1901, AR crown, 1847, KM-744, S-3883, ESC-288, Bul-2571, “Gothic” type, UNDECIMO on edge, beautiful multi-color toning, a choice example of this popular type, PCGS graded Proof 63. Estimated at $15,000 to $20,000.
• Lot 655: Islamic: Durrani: Shah Shuja’, 2nd reign, 1803-1809, AV mohur (11.03g), Rikab, AH1219, A-3120, KM-742, Whitehead-979 (same dies), with his normal couplet on the obverse, used at all mints except Bahawalpur and Kashmir // mint and date; there is no regnal year; the mint is the military Court mint with the formula zarb-i mubarak-i rikab, “the fortunate mint of Rikab”; Rikab means “stirrup” and refers to the horses used in the military advances; wonderful bold strike, choice XF, RRR. Estimated at $10,000 to $12,000.
• Lot 47: Ancient: Roman Empire: Aelia Verina, empress, 457-484, AV solidus (4.49g), Constantinople, 468-473, S-21465, RIC-607 (Leo I), AEL VERINA AVG, diademed and draped bust right, crowned by Manus Dei // VICTORIA AVGGG, Victory standing left, holding long jeweled cross, star in right field, small dent on reverse, some surface roughness, Choice VF, RRR. Estimated at $7,000-$10,000.

Stephen Album Rare Coins is currently accepting consignments for its milestone Auction 50, which will take place on September 19-22, 2024, as well as for future sales.