Extremely Rare Portuguese India São-Tomé

Sale: CNG 82, Lot: 1282. Estimate $15000.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 16 September 2009.  Sold For $17000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

INDIA, Colonial. Portuguese India. Filipe I o Prudente (the Prudent). King of Portugal, 1581-1598. AV São-Tomé (3.40 g, 6h). Goa mint. Crowned Portuguese coat-of-arms; G-A across field / São Tomé o Apóstolo standing left, raising hand and holding carpenter’s square; S-T across field. Gomes -; cf. Vaz, Indo-Portuguese, F1.01 (for type); cf. Friedberg 1453 (not illustrated). EF, reverse slightly double struck. Extremely rare, unpublished in the standard references.

Upon the division of the ancient world among the apostles, St. Thomas was purportedly given India. According to the local tradition, he arrived in Kodungallur in AD 52, whereupon he founded numerous churches and began the conversion of many prominent Brahmin families. As a result of his teaching and acts, Christianity slowly gained followers throughout the region, ultimately becoming the third-largest religion in India. St. Thomas is often depicted numismatically with a lance (the weapon with which he was martyred) and, as with the example above, a carpenter’s square (as he is said to have constructed a palace for an Indian king, thereby making him the patron of architects).