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1/2 Rupee - Alamgir II for Malabar Coast
| Issuer | East India Company - Bombay Presidency |
|---|---|
| Year | 1763-1774 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Rupee (1672-1835) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Arabic |
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| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Plain |
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| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
The Bombay Presidency began striking rupee coinage in the name of the Mughal emperor Alamgir II despite the fact that he had been assassinated in 1759 — years before this series commenced. The fiction of Mughal suzerainty was commercially useful; Indian merchants and money changers in the Malabar trade trusted coins bearing imperial names far more than they trusted anything overtly European. Maintaining that pretense cost the Company nothing and smoothed a great deal of commerce.
The "Malabar Coast" designation reflects the intended circulation territory rather than the mint of origin, as Bombay handled the striking throughout the issue's production run.