1/2 Rupee - Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma VI

Travancore maintained one of the most technically consistent silver coinage programs among the princely states, with the .950 fineness standard held remarkably stable across decades of issue. Moolam Thirunal's reign saw the state navigate an uneasy relationship with British paramountcy — Travancore retained the right to issue coins, one of the few princely states that never surrendered that prerogative to the colonial monetary system.

KM#53 spans a 23-year production window, meaning dies and workmanship varied considerably across the run. Earlier strikes from the Trivandrum mint tend to show crisper execution than later issues.