Madras Presidency

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Ganjam

No Coins traced

Ingeram

No Coins traced

Madapollam Mint? – Copper, Cash –c1701 to 1702

A new company called the English Company Trading to the East Indies, was created in 1698 and established their main site in India at Madapollam. They appear to have obtained rights to issue coins and Pridmore attributes this copper cash coin to that mint.


A heart shaped shield with a 4 on top. Within the shield are the letters EEIC.	A group of standing deities.

Actual Weight (g)

1.63-2.24

Actual Diameter (mm)

9.5-12.8

Composition

Copper

Catalogue

Cat No.	Photo Link	Pr. No.	Provenance	Comments	Rarity
5.14	√ 535.	287	Ste, HC, RJ, Oswal, Jay Lion	Ref: BM. See photo for a specimen with no outline to the balemark	RR
5.15	√ 535c.	-	HC, RJ	Retrograde letters in balemark. Ref: Hemanth Chopra	RRR

Masulipatam (Machlipatan) Mint – Silver, Double Rupee et infra

An eighth rupee probably also exists but has not yet been discovered.

For both the silver and copper coins the RYs initially refer to the rule of Ālamgīr II but sometime between AH 1190 and 1191 they start referring to Shāh ‘Ālam II.

For coins dated 1172 and earlier, see French


sikka mubārak bādshāh ghāzī ‘ālamgīr (= the auspicious coin of the Victorious Emperor ‘Ālamgīr)		ẓarb machhlīpatan sanah [RY] julūs maimanat mānūs (= Struck at Machhlīpatan in the [RY] year of tranquil prosperity)

	Double Rupee	Rupee	Half Rupee	Quarter Rupee	Sixteenth Rupee
Official Weight (g)	22.52	11.26	5.64	2.82	0.70
Actual Weight (g)	22.55-22.62	11.09-11.27	5.27-5.64	2.76-2.82	0.62
Actual Diameter (mm)	32.4	18.8-23.8	18.2-18.9	12.4-15.0	~10
Composition	Silver

Catalogue

Cat No.	Photo Link	Pr. No.	Denomination	AH	RY	Provenance	Comments	Rarity
5.16	√ 536.	291	Double Rupee	1194	21	Bhandare, Noon	Three specimens known.	RRR
5.17	√ 538.	-	Rupee	1173	5	Bald	Ref: ANS 1988.84.128	RR
5.17A	√ 538c.	-	”	1173	6	HC		RR
5.18	√ 539.	-	”	1174	6	Anon, Bhandare but no RY, Noon	Ref: Puddester. Also Format of Birmingham sale 48, #2304 but no photo	RR
5.19	√ 540.	-	”	1174	7	RJ, Noman,	Ref: Baldwin (2004), sale 39, lot 2936.	RR
5.20	√ 541.	-	”	1176	8	Ste, RJ	Ref: Baldwin (2003), sale 35, lot 1735. Baldwin (2005), sale 40, lot 998.	RR
5.21	√ 541c.	-	”	1177	9	RJ		RR
5.23	√ 543.	-	”	1178	9	Jan Lingen but AH not clear, Bald	Ref: Lingen. The previously listed coin dated 1178/5 may be RY 9 with the tail missing or off the flan.	RR
5.23C	√ 543c.	-	”	1178	11	RJ		RR
5.24	544.	-	”	1179			Ref: HK/Sing (2004), sale 38, lot 618. Also ANS 1988.84.124	RR
5.24c	√ 544c.	-	”	1180	1x	RJ		RR
5.25	545.	-	”	1182	x		Ref: Puddester.	RR
5.26	√ 545c.	-	”	1184	15	HC, RJ	May be AH 1183	RR
5.27	546.	-	”	11xx	17		Ref: Puddester.	RR
5.28	√ 547.	-	”	1189	xx	RJ	Ref: HK/Singapore (2002), Sale 34, lot 584.	RR
5.29	548.	-	”	119x	21		Ref: Puddester.	RR
5.30	√ 548c.	-	”	1194	xx	Sachin Arun Gupte, Bald	Ref: Baldwin (2013), New York Sale XXX, lot 519.	RR
5.31	√ 549.	-	”	1195	2x	Ste, RJ, Noon	Baldwin (2006), sale 47, lot 882.	RR
5.32	√ 550c.	-	”	1197	23	RJ, Noon but no RY. SA		RR
5.33	√ 550.	292	”	1197	24	Ste, RJ		RR
5.34	√ 551.	-	”	1198	2x	Ste	Ref: Baldwin (2003), sale 35, lot 1738.	RR
5.35	√ 552.	-	”	1199	2x	Ste	Ref: Puddester.	RR
5.36	√ 553.	-	”	1200	26?	RJ	Ref: Puddester.	RR
5.37	√ 554.	-	”	1202	2x	RJ	Ref: HK/Singapore (2002), Sale 34, lot 587.	RR
5.38	√ 555.	293	”	1205	xx	RJ		RR
5.39	√ 555c.		”	120x	3x	HC		RR
5.40	√ 557.	293A	”	1211	3x	Ste		RR
5.41	558.	294	”	1212	xx			RR
5.42	√ 559.	295	”	1213	xx	Oswal but AH not clear		RR
5.43	560.	-	”	1214	xx		Ref: BM.	RR
5.44	√ 561c.	-	Half Rupee	1177	9	ClassNG		RRR
5.44C	√ 561e.	-	”	118x	xx	Ash		RRR
5.45	√ 561.	296	”	1198	2x	Pr	Ref: BM	RRR
5.46	562.	297	”	1199	2x			RRR
5.47	√ 563.	298	”	1204	xx	HC		RRR
5.48	√ 564.	-	Quarter Rupee	1176	xx	Ste, RJ		RR
5.49	√ 565.	-	”	1189	xx	SA, RJ		RR
5.50	565c.	299	”	1200	2x		Ref: BM and ANS 1988.84.127 (where listed as 1210 and 2.8g, Diam 14.5mm)	RR
5.51	566.	-	”	1202	2x		Ref: Lingen.	RR
5.52	√ 567.	-	”	xxxx	3x	Noon		RR
5.53	568.	300	”	1210	3x			RR
5.54	√ 568c.	-	”	1214	xx	Howard Simmons, HC	Ref: Howard Simmons who found it on Ebay.	RR
5.55	√ 569.	-	Sixteenth Rupee	xxxx	x	Anon	Ref: Fitzwilliam Museum (CM.IN.4419-R). The existence of this denomination for the EIC at this mint, is doubtful. See photo.	RRR

Masulipatam Fanams

Sometime before 1792, an attempt was made to introduce silver fanams into the Northern Circars.

Madras Consultations 1792. IOR p/241/30, p 123

Letter to Government from the Masulipatam Council, dated 30^th December 1791.

We have the honor of acknowledging the receipt of your letter of the 14^th instant, and of informing you that we do not conceive any part of the present distress to be owing to want of small currency, as there is a superabundance of copper coin and a sufficient number of silver quarter rupees in circulation, to answer all the purposes of small coin. A coinage of fanams and double fanams was formerly made trial of in this district, but were so often counterfeited that Government found it necessary to order them to be called in and suppressed. The coining silver fanams at this time might also, we conceive, still further depress the value of copper coin, and of course, affect those who have any quantity of it in their possession…

Masulipatam (Machhlipatan) Mint – Copper, Single and Half Dubs

Struck on and off for a period of about fifty years, these coins are nevertheless quite rare (see also Vizagapatam). These coins appear to have been struck firstly in the name of ‘Ālamgīr II (with his regnal years) and then from about 1190/1191 in the name of Shāh ‘Ālam II (with his regnal years).


sanah julūs mubārak [AH] (= Auspicious year of accession [AH])		ẓarb bandar machhlīpatan sanah [mubārak] (= struck at the port of Machhlīpatan in the auspicious year of his reign)

	Dub	Half Dub
Actual Weight (g)	12.53-14.52	6.50-6.90
Actual Diameter (mm)	15.7-22.2	15.3-17.5
Composition	Copper

Catalogue

Cat No.	Photo Link	Pr. No.	Denomination	AH	RY	Provenance	Comments	Rarity
RYs of ‘Ālamgīr II
5.56	√ 570e.	301	Dub	1173	5	RJ		RR
5.57	√ 571.	”	”	1174		Ste	Ref: BM
5.57C.	√ 571c.	”	”	1175	4	Craig	AH & RY do not correspond
5.58	572.	”	”	1177			Ref: BM
5.58C	572c.	”	”	1179	11		Ref: Steve Album, list 57 (1989), #1128 (but no photo)
5.59	573.	”	”	1180			Ref: Wiggins
5.59C	√ 573b.	”	”	1183	15	RJ
5.59E	√ 573e.	”	”	1184	16	Craig
-	√ 573c.	”	”	xx86?	xx	RJ	Date not clear
5.60	√ 575.	”	”	1187	18	Ste, Bald
5.60A	√ 575c.	”	”	1187	19?	RJ
5.61	√ 574.	”	”	1188	19	RJ	Ref: BM
5.62	574c.	”	”	1189	21
5.63	√ 574e.	”	”	1190	2x	RJ
RYs of Shāh ‘Ālam II
5.63C	√ 574g.	”	”	1191	17	RJ, Jay Raiveeson
5.64	√ 576.	”	”	1192	18	RJ, Jay Raiveeson
5.64A	√ 576b.	”	”	1192	19	Noon
5.64B	√ 576c.	”	”	1193	19	Craig, RJ, Jay Raiveeson
5.64C	√ 576d.	”	”	1194	20?	Jay Raiveeson
5.64E	√ 576e.	”	”	1195	2x	RJ
5.64G	√ 576g.	”	”	1196	22	RJ
5.64J	√ 576i.	”	”	1197	23?	RJ, Jay Raiveeson
5.65	√ 577.	”	”	1198	24	Ste, Jay Raiveeson
5.66	√ 578.	”	”	1199	2x	Vaikunta Chary R, Noon, Jay Raiveeson
5.66C	√ 578c.	”	”	1200	27	Jay Raiveeson
5.67	√ 579.	”	”	1201	27	RJ
5.67A	√ 579b.	”	”	1201	28	Noon
5.68	√ 579c.	”	”	1211	37	RJ
5.69	√ 579e.	”	”	1212	3x	RJ
5.70	√ 580.	”	”	1213		HC, Noon	Ref: Lingen, BM
5.72	√ 581.	”	”	1214	40	Noon
5.72C	√ 579d.	”	”	1215	3x	Jay Raiveeson
5.73	√ 582.	”	”	1217	4x	RJ	Ref: BM
5.74	√ 582c.	”	”	1218	4x	RJ
5.74C	√ 582e.	”	”	1221	47	RJ
5.75	√ 583.	”	”	1222	47		Ref: BM
5.76	√ 584.	302	Half Dub	1174	5	RJ		RR
5.76A	√ 584b.	-	”	1174	7	RJ
5.76C	√ 584b3.	-	”	1176	8	RJ
5.77	584c.	-	”	1186	18		ANS 1988.84.130. Wt = 6.50g. Diam = ~16.5mm
5.77C	√ 584c3.	-	”	1187	19	Jay Raiveeson
5.77D	√ 584c6.	-	”	1188	19	Jay Raiveeson
5.77F	√ 584c9.	-	”	1190	17?	Jay Raiveeson
5.77H	√ 584c11.	-	”	1192	xx	Jay Raiveeson
5.77J	√ 584c13.	-	”	1193	xx	Jay Raiveeson
5.77L	√ 584c16.	-	”	1195	xx	Jay Raiveeson
5.77M	√ 584c18.	-	”	1196	22?	Jay Raiveeson
5.77R	584d.	-	”	1200	xx		BM
5.78	√ 584e.	-	”	1212	3x	HC	Most specimens do not show date. Usually off flan
5.78	√ 584g.	-	”	xxx2	45	Noon

The coins below have dates in unusual places and are worthy of further thought and investigation. Bob Johnston wrote the following:

See the following photos of a dub with mint name Machhlīpatan but with RY 41 on the top of the obverse rather than the normal dot groups.

242 Madras Dub RY 41 Obv 243 Madras Dub RY 41 Rev

13.32 gr and 19.7-21.1 mm

See also the photos below of a similar half dub with RY 34 at the top of the obverse rather than its normal position right of “patan” on the reverse.

244 Madras Half Dub RY 34 Obv 245 Madras Half Dub RY 34 Rev

6.44 gr and 16.1-18.3 mm

The normal position of the AH date would be off the flan at the bottom of the obverse on the dub. The few British dubs seen, that shows the top of the obverse, have two dot groups here as on the earlier paisa, including Aurangzeb.

The next photos from Hemanth Chopra are of a similar dub/paisa with RY 6 or 9 at top.

246 Madras Dub RY 6 or 9 Obv 247 Madras Dub RY 6 or 9 Rev

Finally, the last photos, also from Hemanth Chopra are another example with an undetermined single digit RY, rather than dots at top of the obverse.

248 Madras Dub RY on Obverse Obv 249 Madras Dub RY on Obverse Rev

These show there is no AH date at bottom left of the obverse and the RY 6/9 is too early to be an Aurangzeb issue. Unlike these two coins, the RY 34 half dub shows what appears to be the tops of two flat topped numbers or parts of letters in the position where the AH date normally is. Could these coins have been minted at another mint such as Gangam, Vizagapatam and possibly Madapollam, or the Dutch mints at Jaggernaikporam or Bimlapatam (see Lingen in ONS 161 Supplement pp. 11-12)?

Masulipatam Mint – Copper, M Dub

sanah julūs mubārak [AH] (= Auspicious year of accession [AH])

M with Persian inscription: ẓarb bandar machhlīpatan sanah [RY] [maimanat?] (= struck at the port of Machhlīpatan in the auspicious year of his reign)

RY next to M

	Dub	Half Dub
Actual Weight (g)	13.00-13.72	6.04
Actual Diameter (mm)	17.5-20.6	~15
Composition	Copper

Catalogue

Cat No.	Photo Link	Pr. No.	Denomination	AH	RY	Provenance	Comments	Rarity
5.79	√ 585.	303	Dub	[xxxx]	20	Ste, RJ		R
5.80	√ 586.	”	”	1218	[xx]	RJ, Lawrence Noronha	Ref: JNSI (1963) p117, BM.. AH1218 on both sides	RR
5.81	587.	”	”	[xxxx]	28		M upside-down. Ref: Lingen. No sales traced.	RR
5.82	√ 588.	-	Half Dub	[xxxx]	25	Anon	Ref: Fitzwilliam museum. No sales traced	RR

Vizagapatam Mint – Early Coinages – Silver, Vizagapatam Rupee

Mint name not certain but probably poorly written Machhlīpatan not Vizagapatam


sikka mubārak bādshāh ghāzī ‘ālamgīr (= the auspicious coin of the Victorious Emperor ‘Ālamgīr).		ẓarb vizagapatam? sanah [RY] julūs maimanat mānūs (= Struck at Vizagapatam? in the [RY] year of tranquil prosperity).