May 17, 2018 – The East India Company is introducing the first coin to be issued in The Trade Dollar Collection – the 2018 British Trade Dollar 1oz Gold Proof Coin. With a restricted mintage limit of only 200 coins the first coin in the series is expected to sell out particularly quickly.
Niue Islands / 250 Dollar / .9999 gold Proof / 1oz / 32mm / Mintage: 200. Photo: The East India Company Bullion Ltd.
The most limited coin in The Trade Dollar Collection, the 2018 British Trade Dollar 1oz Gold Proof Coin features a design based on the original British Trade Dollar design which was minted exclusively for use in the Far East by British Merchants. Minted in vast quantities in silver, the British Trade Dollar was also minted in low quantities as gold presentation pieces thought to have been requested by a wealthy individual as a keepsake. The original Gold British Trade Dollar remains one of the world’s rarest coins. With only six coins thought to exist in the world an original gold British Trade Dollar sold at auction in Hong Kong in 2014 for an incredible USD$236,000.
The 2018 British Trade Dollar 1oz Gold Proof Coin design is inspired on the original British Trade Dollar design by Royal Mint engraver, George William De Saulles which depicted, for the first time on a coin, a helmet-wearing Britannia holding a trident and British shield with a merchant ship in the background.
Struck at 32mm diameter to a magnificent high relief with a flawless proof finish, the obverse design features the portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II surrounded by a beautiful arabesque cartouche. Issued by the Government of Niue the 2018 British Trade Dollar 1oz Gold Proof Coin carries a denomination of 250 Dollars.
A British Trade Dollar minted in Bombay in 1900. Photo: Invictus Solis / CC BY-SA 2.5.
The East India Company’s New Trade Dollar Collection consist of five new coin designs celebrating the infamous de-facto Trade Dollar currency of the Orient. Silver Trade Dollars were introduced by countries across the world to provide silver to merchants to exchange for Chinese tea, silks and porcelain as they raced to the Orient in the late 1800’s.
The East India Company’s Trade Dollar Collection consists of five beautifully designed coins, each inspired by the original trade dollar designs of the Britain, America, France, Japan and China. Planned for release at regular intervals over the next two years, each coin is minted to exceptionally low issue limits.
Niue Islands / 1 Dollar / .999 silver Proof / 1oz / 38.6mm / Mintage: 2,500. Photo: The East India Company Bullion Ltd.
The 2018 British Trade Dollar is also available minted to a flawless Silver Proof quality. Released on 31st March 2018, the 2018 British Trade Dollar 1oz Silver Proof Coin is limited to just 2,500 pieces worldwide. Since February 2018, this coin is already available as 1oz Silver BU coin issued by St. Helena.
You can find The East India Company here.
This video allows a closer look on the new silver Trade Dollar.
More about Western coins in the Far East is explained in this article.