View/Print .pdf

Fort St David (Tegnapatam) Mint – Gold, Pagoda 1698

The Tegnapatam pagoda was introduced in 1698 but by 1700 it was clear that the local populace would not accept the coin and the coins began to be melted down and turned into ‘Madras’ pagodas. Minting appears to have been stopped in 1704.

 

A single standing deity with the legend around.

TEVNAPATNAM

The commencing ornament is the outline of the old Company's balemark.

Granulated

 

Actual Weight (g)

3.41

 

Actual Diameter (mm)

11.5

 

Composition

Gold

 

Catalogue

Cat No.

Photo Link

Pr. No.

Provenance

Comments

Rarity

5.3

√ 511.

288

Bhandare

No sales traced. Only known example is in the BM.

RRR

 

Fort St David Mint – Copper, Ten Cash (Dudu) 1748 to 1754

Coins minted at Fort St. David during the French occupation of Madras.

 

Balemark with GCE within a decorative stroke border.

Date between wavy lines within a beaded circle.

 

 

Dudu

Half Dudu

Official Weight (g)

8.85

4.42

Actual Weight (g)

7.85-8.92

4.10

Actual Diameter (mm)

15.2-18.2

12.8-13.4

Metal

Copper

 

Catalogue

Cat No.

Photo Link

Pr. No.

Denomination

Date

Provenance

Comments

Rarity

5.4

√ 512.

41

Dudu

1748

Ste, Noon, SA

 

R

5.5

√ 513.

42

 

1750

RJ

 

RR

5.6

√ 514.

43

 

1752

Ste

 

RR

5.7

√ 515c.

-

Half Dudu

1752

Craig Fernandez, RJ

RR

See also Madras mint dudus. Pridmore records a dudu dated 1753 (Pr 44) referencing a coin in the ANS collection (ANS 1919.999.129). The date is not clear and the weight (6.23) corresponds to the second issue dudu. It is probably 1755 (ref:R, Johnston).

 

Fort St David Mint – Copper, Cash – Type 1 – c1740

Pridmore attributes these cash coins to Fort St David on the grounds that:

  1. The coins can be attributed to the EIC because of their inscription.
  2. The cash coins issued at Madras have been identified, and these coins cannot therefore have been issued from Madras.
  3. He found documentary evidence of cash being produced at Fort St David in 1740.

 

Tamil inscription (= Sri = Honourable), within a beaded border.

Tamil inscription = KUMPINI = Company. All within a plain square.

 

 

Two Cash

Cash

Actual Weight (g)

2.46-2.60

1.12-1.72

Actual Diameter (mm)

10.0-12.5

8.9-10.5

Composition

Copper

Edge

Plain

Axes

 

↑↓

 

Catalogue

Cat No.

Photo Link

Pr. No.

Denomination

Provenance

Comments

Rarity

5.8

√ 516.

-

Two Cash

RJ, HC

RR

5.9

√ 516c.

289

Cash

Ste, Weir, Noon, HC

 

R

 

Fort St David Mint – Copper, Cash – Type 2 – c1740

These coins are attributed to the Fort St David mint on the basis of the reverse inscription, which is the same as that on the previous type. However, the possibility exists that they were struck at a local native mint in imitation of the EIC coins.

 

Dots within circle surrounded by a necklace of beads

Tamil inscription = KUMPINI = Company. All within a plain circle.

 

Actual Weight (g)

1.04-1.47

Actual Diameter (mm)

89.1-10.8

Composition

Copper

Edge

Plain

 

Catalogue

Cat No.

Photo Link

Pr. No.

Denomination

Provenance

Comments

Rarity

5.9A

√ 516e.

Cash

Bombay, SA, RJ, HC, Falcon

 

R

 

Fort St David Mint- Copper, Cash – Type 3 – c1741

These coins are attributed to the Fort St David mint on the basis of the reverse inscription, which is the same as that on the previous types. However, the possibility exists that they were struck at a local native mint in imitation of the EIC coins.

 

An eight pointed star within a beaded border.

Tamil inscription that translates as KUMPINI (= Company) within a plain square

 

Actual Weight (g)

0.95-1.39

 

Actual Diameter (mm)

8.7-9.5

 

Composition

Copper

 

Catalogue

Cat No.

Photo Link

Pr. No.

Provenance

Comments

Rarity

5.10

√ 517.

290

Ste, RJ, Noon

 

R

 

Fort St David Mint – Copper, Cash – Type 4 – 1748 to 1752

Coins minted at Fort St. David during the French occupation of Madras. (See comments about dudus in the section on early Coinages of the Madras Mint).

 

Madras 161 1748 Cash Obv

Madras 162 1748 Cash Rev

A heart shaped shield with a 4 on top. Triply divided. In each third is a letter E I C with a stylized V above. All within a beaded border?

Date within a dotted circle.

All within a beaded border.

 

Official Weight (g)

1.20

 

Actual Weight (g)

1.18-1.39

 

Actual Diameter (mm)

7.4-10.1

 

Composition

Copper

 

Catalogue

Cat No.

Photo Link

Pr No.

Date

Provenance

Comments

Rarity

5.11

√ 518.

103

1748

HC, RJ, Noon

 

RR

5.12

√ 518c.

-

1750

RJ

Reported by Bob Johnston

RRR

5.13

√ 519.

104

1752

Ste, Noon

 

RR

See also Madras mint cash