One Mohur 2024, Coin from Saint Helena - detailed information

Saint Helena is a small island in the South Atlantic Ocean which is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. The currency of the island is the Saint Helena pound, fixed at parity with the pound sterling. The island has authorised some private mints to issue coins under its jurisdiction, which come in a variety of sizes. Some of them are non-standard and/or one-off issues in gold, such as this one.

The mint says about this coin:
The East India Company and St Helena issue a strictly limited number of Mohur proof coins every year as a symbol of wealth, prestige and trust.

Founded in 1600, The East India Company is now recognised as the world’s first global corporation. Its early trading interest in fine cloths, spices and tea saw its influence spread throughout India and the Far East. By the mid-17th century it had become one of the world’s largest bullion traders, exporting vast amounts of precious metals from England. In 1677, as the Company’s activities expanded, King Charles II granted it the right to mint its own coins and, through partnerships with local mints in India, the majestic Mohur was adopted as the main trading currency of the East India Company.

In the early 19th century King William IV decreed that there should be a universal coinage in India. As a result of The Coinage Act of 1835, the Mohur now bore the effigy of the King on its obverse. But the new coin’s reverse was perhaps even more spectacular, as it featured for the first time the now iconic Lion and Palm Tree design, which continues to grace The Mohur to this day.