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½ Fanam - Miyana Nawabs of Cuddapah Karpa
| Issuer | Miyana Nawabs of Cuddapah |
|---|---|
| Year | 1750-1769 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 6 mm |
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| Obverse description | Persian inscription in Arabic script occupying the central field, rendered in a cursive hand typical of hammered gold fanams of the Deccan region. The characters appear bold and slightly irregular, consistent with the hand-struck nature of this small-denomination gold coin. The flat, unadorned field surrounding the legend shows no border or decorative elements. The inscription is the primary design element, characteristic of Mughal-influenced coinage of the southern Indian nawabs. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Plain, unadorned reverse field with no design, legend, or decorative elements, as was customary for small hammered gold fanams of this type issued by the Deccan nawabs. The surface shows the characteristic irregularity and slight convexity of a hand-struck blank flan. Some natural surface texture and minor die marks are visible across the field. |
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| Additional information |
The Miyana Nawabs of Cuddapah held the region as deputies of the Nizam of Hyderabad through much of the eighteenth century, their authority perpetually contested by Mysore to the west and Maratha pressure from the north. Coinage at this scale — fractional fanams in gold — served local bazaar transactions in a region where silver was chronically scarce. The Karpa designation likely reflects a local mint or treasury site rather than a distinct political authority.