Catalog
1/4 Rupee - Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma VI
| Issuer | Travancore, Kingdom of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1906-1930 |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Obverse description | Central device depicts a Shankha (sacred conch shell) in upright position, flanked symmetrically by decorative floral sprays. The Malayalam legend encircles the central motif within a beaded border, identifying the issuer and denomination. The overall composition is formal and heraldic in character, consistent with the princely coinage tradition of Travancore. |
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| Obverse lettering | തിരുവിതാങ്കൂര് കാല് രൂപാ (Translation: Travancore Quarter Rupee) |
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| Additional information |
Travancore maintained its own coinage well into the twentieth century under the suzerainty arrangement with British India, which permitted princely states to issue currency for local circulation provided it didn't directly compete with Imperial coinage. Moolam Thirunal's reign was administratively active — his divan, P. Rajagopalachari, pushed significant fiscal and infrastructural reform — and the quarter rupee saw steady everyday use in the state's notably monetized economy, particularly in the coir and cashew export trades along the Malabar coast.
The .949 fine silver specification is distinctly higher than the contemporaneous British Indian rupee standard of .917, a deliberate policy Travancore maintained to reinforce confidence in its local currency.