A rare coin collection linked to the British East India Company has been sold for a whooping £1.57 million. Robert Puddester built up the collection of 1,246 old coins over the course of more than four decades.
He decided to sell his collection with London-based auctioneers Noonans Mayfair.
The complete collection of rare coins sold for £1.57 million – and this increased to £1.95m with fees.
Peter Preston-Morley, who is a special projects manager and associate director at Noonans, helped Mr Puddester amass his collection and described it as being the “finest and most complete” group of coins relating to the East India Company and British India ever assembled.
Peter noted that the auction of Robert’s collection was itself a historical event due to the contents which were sold and the nature of the sale.
He said: “This is the first of a historic series of auctions that will be referenced in their own right for decades to come
“This is the most spectacular sale of its kind that has ever been held.
“Those who acquire Puddester coins will own pieces to be rightly proud of, in the knowledge that they rank among the finest, if not the best known.
“Many pieces in this collection only appear in the marketplace once in a generation, if that.”
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Robert’s top selling lots were a Bombay half-mohur from 1765 which sold for £117,800 and a 1765 Bombay gold mohur which sold for £99,200.
A rare 1770 Bombay gold 15 rupees also sold for just under £100,000 and was one of only four known examples.
