1840 British India Silver Victoria Rupee VF

180-Year-Old First-Year Victoria Silver Rupee

Long before Great Britain made India the most valuable possession in its far-flung world empire, large swathes of the South Asian country were manipulated by the East India Company. Effectively ruling India beginning in 1757, the East India Company was a British trading company that dealt in cotton, silk, indigo dye, tea and opium — and wasn’t the least bit shy about enforcing its administrative policies with its own private military force.

In 1840, the company struck this 91.7% fine silver Rupee for circulation in British India. A beautiful coin, it features the youthful portrait of 21-year-old Queen Victoria, who at that time had only been on the throne for two years. What makes this coin so interesting is that not only was it the first silver 1 Rupee to circulate in India that displayed the image of Victoria, it was also struck 18 years before India actually came under Great Britain’s rule!

India was added to the British Empire following the failed Indian Rebellion of 1857. The resulting Government of India Act of 1858 saw the East India Company transfer its rule and direct administration of British India to the Crown giving Queen Victoria the additional title of “Empress of India.” Great Britain would go on to rule the Indian subcontinent for 89 years until the nation became independent in 1947.

Now you can own a remarkable coin from the Victorian Age — and age when the sun never set on the British Empire —with this 1840 British India Silver Victoria Rupee. Besides the effigy of Queen Victoria, the coin also bears inscriptions that identify its place in that bygone era. That’s because the issuing authority appearing on the obverse reads EAST INDIA COMPANY along with the ONE RUPEE denomination encircled within a wreath. Each also comes in nice Very Fine (VF) condition.

Hurry and order this remarkable piece of world history now before our limited stock becomes another footnote in the history books.