Exceptional Counterfeiter’s Mold

Sale: Triton XIII, Lot: 2003. Estimate $2000.  Closing Date: Monday, 4 January 2010.  Sold For $1200. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

INDIA, Mughal Empire. Mid to late 18th century. Counterfeiter’s Mold. Overall dimensions: 132 mm in height, 97 mm in width, and 37 mm in depth. Weight: 696.80 grams. Interlocking mold for casting two Mughal coins, consisting of bronze frame with three pin locks, which forms the flask (container) and contains the core sand with cope (upper mold) containing reverse design and drag (lower mold) the obverse. Molds are of an Isfahan mint 4 shahis of Husayn I, dated AH 1134(?) (cf. Farahbaksh 139) and a Burhanpur mint rupee of Muhayyi al-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir, dated AH 1115 and RY 4[8/9] (cf. KM 300.24). Good VF, frame with green patina, small areas of core sand exterior missing, interior darkened, showing evidence of use. Well-made example.

See “Making Counterfeit Coins” on the Colonial Williamsburg website (http://www.history.org/Foundation/journal/Summer07/counterfeit_slideshow/) slide 1 for an example of a contemporary similar style mold.