Novamarketing Chiasso Medals Coins India D Princely States India Princely States Kotah Chattar Singh Rupee

# 553Rupee nd RY 21 Chattar SinghIndia D Princely States - Kotah
India – Kotah – Chattar Singh (VS 1923-1946 / AD 1866-1889). Regal issue in the name of the Queen of England (Victoria) from 1858. Nazarana Rupee RY 21 (AD 1878). Mint: Kotah (Nandgoan), Silver (ø 25.5 mm – w. 11.29 g.). Edge: plain. Webb (pp. 93/4, n. 3 – pl. VIII, fig. 9). Y. 6a.

Obverse:
Persian legend. Queen Victoria's titles within cirlce (from bottom to top: Malikah mu'azzamah Inglistan Badshah Zaman = Her Majesty of England, Monarch of the Age). Mint mark: Cross (in centre). Border of dots.

Reverse:
Persian legend. Mint name and Julus formula within cirlce (from bottom to top: Zarb Kotah sanah 21 julus maimanat manus = Struck at Kotah in year 21 of fortunate reign). Mint marks: Homa (sacred fire, in centre left), Trefoil (at right) and Cross (at bottom right). Border of dots.

Note:
Nazars were presented to the king on special occasions. People, who wanted to present nazars, would order and buy the special struck coins from the mint. For the nazar or nazarana coins an extra fee had to be paid as the production required extra work. For the mint it was a nice extra income and almost all the nazarana coins returned within a fews days back to the mint again (extracted from Mr. Oesho's comments on Worldofcoins' Forum).

Web References:
http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php/topic,5647.msg35351.html#msg35351
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malik
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghazw

Literature:
Krause C. and Mishler C. – Standard Catalog of World Coins 1801-1900 – Krause Publications, Usa, 4th Edition, 2004.
Webb, W. W. – The currencies of the Hindu states of Rajputana – Indological Book House, Delhi (reprint), 1972, 1893.