1882 Kutch 5-kori

[villa66]

An AD1882/VS1938 Kutch (sometimes also “Cutch”) 5-kori piece struck in 13.87 grams of .937 silver. On its obverse--within the circular wreath--this coin proclaims “Victoria, Empress of India,” and was struck at the mint in Bhuj, capital city of the Indian Princely state of Kutch.

In 1882 when this 5-kori piece was struck, the young Kutch monarch Khengarji III was only about 16 years old and was (since 1875) still ruling with the consent of a Council of Regency. He would acquire the full power of his throne late in 1884, and with a 66-year-reign that would continue until 1942, Khengarji III would go on to become one of the world’s longest reigning monarchs. (And this on a 75-year lifespan.)

A note about Kutch (Cutch) and its “kori.” The Guidebook and Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins 1649-1971 says this: “Three monetary systems were to be found in India during the 19th century, the Muhammedan, the Hindu and the particular system which was confined to the Kathiawar peninsula and Cutch.”

This somewhat singular 1882 5-kori, then, is heavier and of better silver than the contemporary rupee of British India—and indeed it should have been—it was worth 25% more than the rupee.

v.

[Afrasi]

Thank you! Interesting like always!

I will have to my Indian collection tomorrow.

[KarlAntonMartini]

Es gibt einen Spezialkatolog: Bartonitschek: Das Geld von Kutch, Stolberg 1995. Das Stück zu 5 Kori von AD 1882, VS 1938 hat dort die Nr. 22.10.4, es gibt mehrere Varianten, hier dürfte es 22.10.4b sein. Ein weiterer Katalog ist von Bright: The Coinage of Kutch, Dallas 1975, dort Nr. 114b. - Daraus die Beschreibung:

Vs.: Ranke und Rosette, darin Inschrift in Urdu: Victoria Kaisar Hind zarb Bhuj 1882.
Rs.: Umschrift in Nagari: Maharaja Dhiraj Mirjan Maharao Shri Khengarji Bahadur Kachh Bhuj - im Kreis: Dreizack, geschlossene Mondsichel und Katar, darunter: Kori panch - 1938

Der Rand der Münze müßte geriffelt sein und geprägt mit KUTCH * x x ** BHUJ ** xx * (x steht für einen Buchstaben in Nagari)

Leider gibt es Zweifel an der Echtheit, denn die Rosette sollte nur 15 Blätter haben (ich zähle 17) und die Prägung der Rückseite erscheint flau. Tatsächlich sind diese Münzen in den 20er Jahren, nachdem der Silberpreis stark gefallen war, in gutem Silber von Privaten nachgeprägt worden. Die Regierung hat dann alle umlaufenden Münzen eingezogen, geprüft und bei positivem Ausgang die Münze mit der Randinschrift versehen und wieder in Umlauf gebracht. D. h. dieses 5 Kori-Stück war ursprünglich nur gerändelt! Bei der Prüfung rutschten auch Fälschungen durch und erhielten eine Randschrift, es gibt also echte falsche 5-Kori-Stücke.

@villa66: if you need a translation, please tell me.

Grüße, KarlAntonMartini

[villa66]

I've made the correction from "Queen" to the correct "Empress," and am trying to whittle down my request for a translation to the bare minimum. I do sincerely thank you, KAM, for your close attention to this coin. Well, except for the "rosette" business--I'm already half-blind from counting petals on the various examples posted elsewhere on the Net.

v.

[KarlAntonMartini]

Maybe the variety with 17 petals is not yet published. But what says the edge inscription? (Waiting for Afrasi who is still searching his indian collection...) Best regards, KarlAntonMartini

[Afrasi]

I found my pieces yesterday, but only one of this type, 1884, rosette with 16 petals. Also I found one "older" piece of 1881, which looks very spurious to me, but this coin has by far the best edge lettering.
Now I think how to scan the edges ...

[KarlAntonMartini]

Für 1884 sind 16 Blütenblätter korrekt. Das oberste Blütenblatt ist flankiert von zwei Punkten oder Strichen. 1881 gibt es auch viele Varianten, meistens mit Blätterkranz statt Ranke. Grüße, KarlAntonMartini

[klaupo]

Zeno hat zwei Stücke mit 1882 AD / 1938 VS. Bei beiden geht die Zahl der Petalen der Rosette weit über 15 hinaus.

http://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=23275

http://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=81438

@Afrasi: Die Arbeit, den Rand zu scannen, kann ich dir abnehmen. Auf meinem Bild (1881 AD / 1938 VS) habe ich zwei Ausschnitte vom Rand eingefügt.

Gruß klaupo

[Afrasi]

Vielen Dank! Mein Stück ist sehr vergleichbar: Der durch die nachträgliche Rändelung hochgewölbte Rand und die gestochen scharfe Randschrift.
Auf allen meinen späteren Stücken ist die Randschrift deutlich schwächer erhalten und der hochgewölbter Rand fehlt. Zudem ist die Riffelung anders, als bei den anderen Stücken und erinnert irgendwie an italienische Fälschungen ...
Dafür hat meine Münze auch auf der Vorderseite einen inneren Kreis.

[villa66]

I must apologize in advance for the poor quality of my photos, as well as the somewhat disjointed way I'll be posting.

For whatever it's worth, the weight is good:

[villa66]

The edge inscription exactly tracks KAM's "geprägt mit KUTCH * x x ** BHUJ ** xx * (x steht für einen Buchstaben in Nagari)," although I'm afraid that toward the end, as the photos deteriorate, you'll just have to take my word for it

[villa66]

And finishing up:

[villa66]

It puzzled me to read that the edges were both serrated and lettered, but seeing the edge photos posted by klaupo, I see what was meant. It isn't visible on my photos--pardon me while I laugh again at my photos--but under magnification there are occasional (very occasional) reeds that are barely visible--if I didn't know what I was looking for, I would not have noticed them. (And I hope I'm not imagining them).

And I understand(?) that apparently in the 1920s, after the price of silver had fallen, that some of these coins were struck using good silver...but...could you please translate this, so I don't get it wrong, because it looks extremely interesting: "The government....

"Die Regierung hat dann alle umlaufenden Münzen eingezogen, geprüft und bei positivem Ausgang die Münze mit der Randinschrift versehen und wieder in Umlauf gebracht. D. h. dieses 5 Kori-Stück war ursprünglich nur gerändelt! Bei der Prüfung rutschten auch Fälschungen durch und erhielten eine Randschrift, es gibt also echte falsche 5-Kori-Stücke."

v.

[KarlAntonMartini]

In the 1920ies lots of privately struck coins were made, many of them from good silver, as silver had become cheap. The government withdraw all bigger silver coins, checked them and if they proved to be genuine their reeded edges got the additional lettering. But obviously lots of non-officially made coins slipped through the examination and got the official edge inscription. Best regards, KarlAntonMartini

[villa66]

Danke, KAM (and everyone else). So if I understand this correctly,

1) all of the 5-kori coins from the 1880s were originally produced with reeded edges,
2) because silver became so cheap, many fake 5-kori pieces were privately struck in the1920s,
3) because of the influx of fakes, also in the 1920s(?), the authorities removed 5-kori pieces (and purported 5-kori pieces) from circulation and lettered their edges, obscuring to a greater or lesser degree the original reeding.

Which suggests

1) some 5-kori pieces from the 1880s still exist with full reeding, because the edge rework could not have been effected on 100% of the coins outstanding,
2) the authorities would have culled the coins they were reworking for correct weight (and perhaps, for general appearance and/or good silver content),
3) all 5-kori pieces officially edge-lettered and reissued now qualify as official issues,
4) if officially edge-lettered, what were previously privately coined fakes are now more in the nature of officially sanctioned “restrikes” and must now be considered genuine 5-kori pieces.

But then what of the pieces that remained reeded-only? Did they lose their legal tender status because they had not been officially reworked? And are the reeded-only pieces seen in significant numbers today? Just questions.

Fun stuff. Thanks again to all….

v.