Silver - 10 oz Bar - East India Company - St. Helena Standing Britannia (2022)

Specifications

Design & Liquidity

The 2022 St. Helena Standing Britannia silver bar features an elegant portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on its obverse, specifically the Raphael Maklouf bust created in 1985 for the Royal Mint. The reverse showcases Britannia standing proudly, accompanied by the inscription “May God Direct My Steps” and the insignia of the East India Company of London. The design's background incorporates nautical sailing lines, symbolizing the company's historic trade routes. As a legal tender coin bar from St. Helena, issued in collaboration with the modern East India Company, these pieces benefit from an established and liquid secondary market. Products from the revived East India Company are popular bullion collections and are actively traded through prominent bullion dealers worldwide, ensuring robust liquidity for collectors and investors alike.

About the Mint

The East India Company, whose name resonates with centuries of global commerce, was originally established on December 31, 1600, by royal charter from Queen Elizabeth I, making it one of the world's first joint-stock companies. It operated for over 270 years before its dissolution in 1874. At its zenith, the original company controlled an astonishing half of the world's trade, primarily in commodities such as cotton, silk, spices, and tea, and commanded a private army that, at 250,000 soldiers, was twice the size of the contemporary British Army. The company also held unique sovereign rights, including the ability to mint its own currency and govern entire cities like Bombay (Mumbai), Calcutta (Kolkata), and Madras (Chennai). The modern East India Company was revived in 2010 as a contemporary trading and bullion design firm. Today, in partnership with the Issuing Authority of St. Helena, it continues to issue a range of recognized bullion collections, including the 'Una and the Lion,' 'The Goddesses Series,' and 'Trade Dollar Series,' building on a rich numismatic heritage that included classic Gold Mohurs and Silver Rupiyas. A fascinating fact is that the modern East India Company has renewed a partnership with St. Helena that dates back to the 17th century, when the island served as a crucial outpost for the company's homebound vessels.