History of the Empire building East India Company showcased on nine gold coin monarch set

You think Apple, Google and Microsoft are big and powerful companies? They have a huge amount of influence but if you want to see corporate power you need to head back in time and look at the East India Company (EIC). This English/British company was first given a Royal Charter by Queen Elizabeth I on 31 December 1600 and grew to be one of the most powerful organisations that have ever existed in human history. At its height it had a private army of about 260,000, double that of the British army, and effectively controlled India for a century.

Rich, corrupt, capable of waging wars, smuggling opium, monopolising trade; this was a power in the traditional sense of the word. In a series of five acts around 1670, King Charles II granted the EIC a staggering collection of rights by todays standards; the rights to autonomous territorial acquisitions, to mint money, to command fortresses and troops and form alliances, to make war and peace, and to exercise both civil and criminal jurisdiction over the acquired areas. Like all large companies, it had numerous internal problems with organisation and finance, and it was dissolved in 1874 as a result of the East India Stock Dividend Redemption Act passed one year earlier, as the Government of India Act had by then rendered it superfluous.

This coin set by the East India Company, a new manifestation in name only, takes that history and makes it the central theme by depicting across nine coins the British monarchs that ruled the Empire while the company was active. Starting with Queen Elizabeth I and ending with Queen Victoria, each of these quarter-ounce fine gold coins takes an effigy of the monarch and combines it with elements of the period to form a reverse face design. Each is styled for the appropriate period and we imagine these would have huge appeal for the traditional coin collector.

Issued for the British Overseas territory of St. Helena, the common obverse depicts the classic effigy of Queen Elizabeth II along with inscriptions denoting the date, denomination and the issuing details. The whole set seems to be packaged to a very high standard, a fine wooden box holding each coin seperately within, liberally decorated with brass-style highlights. Downsides? Priced at £5995.00 for 2¼ oz of gold we’re looking at a large premium, even allowing for the packaging and a mintage of 500 sets. Despite that, this set will find high-end buyers we’re sure and it can be bought directly from the East India Company or from select dealers like the Melbourne Mint. The yellow buttons under each coin image open a modal with the mint description within and the EIC have done a great job with it.

2017 EMPIRE COLLECTION 9 PROOF GOLD COIN SET

MINTS DESCRIPTION

From its very first voyage in January 1601, until it was dissolved and absorbed into the British Crown in 1874, The East India Company laid the foundation of the British Empire in the East. Over time ‘The Company’ rose to account for half of the world’s trade including cotton, silk, indigo dye, salt, saltpetre, tea and bullion. It had its own army and navy, its stocks (shares) were central to London’s financial markets and at one point it ruled over 400 million people.

Each piece of the magnificent collection features the portrait of the British monarch, faithfully designed to reflect the style and appearance of the original coinage of the time, to create a heritage series unrivalled in design, detail and craftsmanship.

The Empire Collection tells the story of the rise of world’s most famous Company and the history of the British Empire in the East. Each coin features the portrait of a key ruling British monarch and is faithfully designed to reflect the style and appearance of the original coinage of its particular era.

This is a heritage series unrivalled in design, detail and craftsmanship. It makes a beautiful addition to any heritage collection – or a rare and valuable gift for a connoisseur. Strictly limited to 500 sets. A beautiful addition to any heritage collection – or a valuable and exquisite gift for a connoisseur of Empire, trade and British history.

OBVERSE AND PACKAGING

SPECIFICATION

NAME 2017 THE EMPIRE COLLECTION
DENOMINATION £1 St. Helena
COMPOSITION 0.9999 gold
WEIGHT 8.0 grams x 9
DIAMETER 25.00 mm
FINISH Proof
MODIFICATIONS None
MINTAGE 500
BOX / COA Yes / Yes