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

# 574Rupee AH 1219 RY 44 ind Shah Alam IIIndia E French - Pondichery
French India – Pondicherry – Third British occupation (1803-1816). Issue in the name of the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II. Rupee AH (12)19/8 RY 44 (AD 1804/5). Mint: Arcot (Pondicherry), Silver (ø 24 mm – w. 11.33 g.). Edge: plain. Lecompte 140a. KM 15. Brown –. 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 / s]ayah fazl Shah ‘Alam [Bad]shah / hami din[-i-llah Muhammad] = Struck coin through the seven climes, the shadow of the divine favour, Shah Alam, the Emperor, the defender of the Faith of Mohammed). Date ([12]19) above the top line at left.

Reverse:
Persian legend. Mint name and Julus formula (from bottom to top: [Zar]b [Ar]kat / sanat 44 julus / maimanat manus = Struck at Arcot, (in the) year 44 (of his) reign associated with prosperity).

Note:
Variety with the 9 of the date recut over 8.
Of interest is the specimen in Overlord's collection dated 1219 RY 44 with the 9 retrograde, an apparently unpublished variety.

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