Catalog
1/2 Chuckram - Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma VI
| Issuer | Travancore State Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1880-1924 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 5.03 g |
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| Obverse description | Central field dominated by the conch shell (Shankha) of Travancore, a sacred emblem of the ruling house, depicted upright with ribbed body and pronounced whorl, flanked on either side by Malayalam script characters denoting the denomination. The design elements are boldly rendered in relief against a plain field, with no border legend, the inscription arranged around the central device in the characteristic style of Travancore copper coinage. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Central device consists of a large six-pointed star (Star of David / Shatkonam), formed by two interlocking equilateral triangles, with a raised central pellet at the intersection point. The star is enclosed within a plain inner circle, itself surrounded by a decorative border of stylized floral or foliate ornaments arranged symmetrically around the circumference, with small raised pellets interspersed between the ornamental elements. The overall design is deeply struck with no legends, the geometric and decorative motifs being characteristic of Travancore State coinage of this period. |
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| Additional information |
Travancore maintained its own coinage system long after most Indian princely states had surrendered monetary autonomy to British oversight, issuing copper denominations through a state mint that operated under direct palace authority. The chuckram series ran continuously across multiple reigns precisely because the British Residents assigned to Travancore found the arrangement administratively convenient rather than worth challenging. Moolam Thirunal's reign lasted from 1885 to 1924, making him one of the longer-reigning Travancore rulers of the colonial period.
The 44-year production window for KM#36 means die wear and minor hub variations are common across the run.