Talegaon Mint
Coins were issued from the Talegaon mint
by:
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Moghul Contemporaries |
History
MW discuss three mints with the name Talegaon:
Telegaon Dabhade, Telegaon Dhamdhere and Telegaon Induri, although they could not find coins of any
of these.
Oswal discuss the mint as follows:
The area
around Pune began to be monetized under the second Peshwa, Baji
Rao I (1720-1740), who undertook many urbanisation projects in Pune city.
Eminent money-lending families such as the Bhides, the
Datars, the Thattes and the Deos
of Chinchwad became active at this time. As numismatic evidence suggests, mints
started operating in Pune, Chinchwad and Talegaon around this time. The
Chinchwad and Talegaon issues used the rupee of Surat as a prototype, with only
the mint-name appropriately changed. The coins remain unpublished and this is
the first instance where a rupee is being offered for sale at an auction. The
mint-name on the coin is clearly evident.
The town of
Talegaon belonged in Jagir to the Dabhade family, who
were given the rights to collect tribute in Gujarat by Chhatrapati Shahu. This
brought the family in direct conflict with the Peshwa. Their rivalry culminated
in the battle of Dabhoi (Gujarat) in April 1731 where
Trimbakrao Dabhade was defeated
and killed. His mother, Umabai Dabhade
continued to struggle against the Peshwa's hegemony. Trimbakrao's
son Yashwantrao was a worthless successor and their interests in Gujarat were
gradually taken over by their lieutenant Damaji
Gaikwad. In 1752, Damaji disowned his allegiance to
the Dabhades and came over to the Peshwa's side.