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1/2 Larin 'Kuda' - Muhammad Imaaduddeen IV
| Issuer | Sultanate of Maldives |
|---|---|
| Year | 1836-1881 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Hammered |
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| Obverse description | Irregular hammered flan bearing a two-line Arabic inscription in the field, reading 'Al-Sultan Muhammad / Imaad al-Din', the legends rendered in a bold, cursive Thaana-influenced Arabic script characteristic of Maldivian coinage of the mid-19th century. The lettering fills the entire flan without a formal border, typical of the rudimentary striking technique employed at the Maldivian mint during the reign of Sultan Muhammad Imaaduddeen IV. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | سلطان البر والبحر سنة ١٢٨٠ |
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| Additional information |
The larin — a wire coinage tradition borrowed from Persian Gulf trade networks — had circulated in the Maldives for centuries before Muhammad Imaaduddeen IV's reign introduced this small cast bronze fraction. The 'Kuda' designation simply means 'small' in Dhivehi, distinguishing it from the larger larin denomination. Cast rather than struck, these pieces were produced using techniques that had changed little since the archipelago first entered Indian Ocean commerce.
KM#35 spans a reign of 45 years, meaning die consistency is essentially irrelevant — individual casting batches vary considerably in flan shape and surface quality.