Indian coinage spans the East India Company’s presidencies, the first uniform rupee under the 1835 Coinage Act, Crown rule from 1858, hundreds of princely states striking their own coins, and independence in 1947. The classic silver rupee anchors the chapter. Collectors hunt William IV and Victoria rupees, princely-state issues, and early Republic commemoratives; fakes and modern “restrikes” flood the market, so buying graded or from trusted dealers is the rule.
Key facts
- The 1835 uniform rupee (William IV): .917 silver, 11.66 g, 30.5 mm; struck at Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras; reverse “EAST INDIA COMPANY / ONE RUPEE” with value in English and Urdu/Persian
- Caution: the Indian coin market is saturated with replicas, fantasy “restrikes,” and plated copies of 1835–1947 rupees — genuine buying advice, not an authentication claim