Note: Top-pop, highest Graded known coin for the Type, although all official Silver Rupees issued under King William IIII bear the date 1835, a small number of Rupees Exist with the date 1840, despite the King having passed away on 20 June 1837. This unusual occurrence likely stems from a transitional phase in coinage design. It appears that there was an early intention to continue using William IIII’s Reverse Design even for the new series under Queen Victoria. As part of this plan, The Royal Mint may have created a Revised Reverse Die, derived from the 1835 reverse, with the date changed to 1840.

This was likely prepared along with a new obverse die featuring Queen Victoria’s effigy, and both were then sent to the Indian mints.

However, it seems that once the dies reached India, there were concerns about the new obverse design’s suitability. As a result, mint authorities were instructed not to proceed with striking coins using the Queen’s Portrait until further notice. In the meantime, possibly due to a shortage of rupee coins in circulation, Indian mint officials may have decided to use the newly received 1840-dated reverse die with leftover obverse dies of William IIII from the 1835 coinage, resulting in this RARE and historically significant Hybrid issue.

An interesting coin representing a transitional anomaly in British Indian coinage.

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