India: British India. George VI "Security Edge" Rupee 1939-(b) F15 NGC,...

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Key "Security Edge" Rupee

British India. George VI "Security Edge" Rupee 1939-(b) F15 NGC, Bombay mint, KMY-57a, Prid-236, S&W-9.14. Security edge variety. A minimally available type, to say the least, as one of British India's scarcest Rupees, with those at any level of preservation garnering impressive interest. In recent decades, an example of this famed "security edge" type have traded hands only a handful of times, a surprising figure considering Pridmore's proposed mintage of just five. While heavily circulated, the piece retains a uniform battleship-gray patina and no significant distracting marks, doing little to detract from the overall scarcity of the example at hand.

Amid silver shortages during WWII, the Rupee was set to be debased from .917 to .500 fine silver, and a new security edge was introduced to deter counterfeiting. Though dated 1939, these coins were likely struck in 1940 after new dies arrived from London. Only a small number were produced, as the transition to debased 1940 Rupees was swift. With hoarding of high-silver coins expected, continuing .917 production held little value. The security edge variant's origins remain unclear. Circulated examples suggest they were either accidental issues or trial pieces released alongside standard 1939 coins. Official records, such as the 1963 Madras Treasury Code, even labeled them as counterfeit-highlighting their mystery and rarity.

Metal: Silver
Diameter: 30mm
Weight: 11.66g
ASW: 0.1874oz

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