Lot 88
Elizabeth I (1558-1603), AR One Testern, East India Company, ‘Portcullis’ money, Tower (London) mint, mm. O (1600).
British, Ancient & World Coins - Auction 131 | C26005
Auction: 22 July 2026 10.30 BST
Description
Square-topped, crowned, and quartered shield of arms, crowned E R at either side, Rev. Crowned portcullis, 3.33g/9h. (N. -; Pridmore 4; S. 2607D). Extremely Fine, extremely rare, with much eye appeal. A consistently well-detailed example. e Magnus Collection, March 28-29th, 2012, lot 906.
East India Company trade coinage, or as they are known in common parlance ‘Portcullis money’ were a drive by the Tower mint to produce trade coinage for use in the far east, backed by the East India Company. Issued in four distinct denominations, the eight, four, two and one testern, all carrying mintmark O, struck to the weights and composition of the Spanish Reales series. Despite the testern series of coins specifically being issued for the East Indies, the weight and fineness of these pieces made them admissible anywhere where the Spanish dollar circulated, inclusive of the American Colonies post-1607.
