Lot 455

East India Company, Bengal Presidency, INO Alamgir II (AH 1167-1173, 1755-1761 AD), Silver Rupee, 11.61 gms, 23.17 mm, Kalkata / Kalkattah / Calcutta Mint, AH (11)71, RY 4, sunburst above H of badshah on obverse, star and rosette as mint mark, The British East India Company opened a mint in Calcutta on 13th June 1757 AD, after having expelled the Nawab of Bengal from the city earlier in the year. From that date until 28 July 1757 AD, extremely rare mohurs and rupees were struck with the mint name Alinagar Kalkatah (Calcutta, the Port of God). At that point the mint name was changed to simply Kalkatah. "Kalkata" represents the Persian text name for Calcutta, the British spelling, now written Kolkata in modern India (and Kalkattah in KM), The rare regnal year 4 rupees, not known but listed by Pridmore, were struck through 28 April 1758 AD. During this period, on the 27 June 1757 AD, East India Company forces under Robert Clive routed the Nawab at the battle of Plassey, confirming British control over eastern India, Pridmore 7 / KM # 8.2, extra fine, Paul Stevens list this as RRR on the rarity scale extremely rare.