Novamarketing Chiasso Medals Coins India E French India French Pondichery Shah Alam Rupee

# 573Rupee AH 1203 RY 28 ind Shah Alam IIIndia E French - Pondichery
French India – Pondicherry – Louis XVI, King of France (1774-1793). Thomas, Comte de Conway, as Gouverneur Général de l'Inde française (1787-1789). Issue in the name of the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II. Rupee AH 123 (sic!) RY 28 (AD 1788/9). Mint: Arcot (Pondicherry), Silver (ø 22 mm – w. 11.39 g.). Edge: plain. Lecompte –. KM 15. Brown 4529 var. Plant p. 98, couplet n. 4.

Obverse:
Persian legend. Couplet with Ruler's name and titles (from bottom to top: [Zad bar haft kishwar sikka / sayah] fazl Shah ‘Alam [Bad]shah / hami din-i-llah Muha[mmad] = Struck coin through the seven climes, the shadow of the divine favour, Shah Alam, the Emperor, the defender of the Faith of Mohammed). Date (123) above the top line at left.

Reverse:
Persian legend. Mint name and Julus formula (from bottom to top: [Za]rb [Ar]kat / sanat 28 julus / maimanat manu[s] = Struck at Arcot, (in the) year 28 (of his) reign associated with prosperity).

Note:
Date on the coin 123, error for 1203.

Web references:
www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php?topic=1387.0
http://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=35063
http://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=35064
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_India
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pondicherry

Literature:
Brown C. J. – Catalogue of Coins in the Provincial Museum Lucknow / The Mughal Emperors – Vol. I-II, Oxford, 1920 (reprinted 1985).
Krause C. and Mishler C. – Standard Catalog of World Coins 1801-1900 – Krause Publications, 4th Edition, Usa, 2004.
Lecompte Jean – Monnaies et Jetons des Colonies Françaises – Editions V. Gadoury, 1er édition, Monaco (MC), 2000.
Plant R. J. – Arab Coins and how to read them – Spink and Son Ltd., London, 1973, 1980 (revised), reprinted 2000.