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1 Fanam
| Issuer | Cochin, Kingdom of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1795-1850 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | 8 mm |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Stylized solar and lunar symbols rendered as a single dot above a crescent-like form, with an array of pellets arranged in quadrants across the field, representing the sun and moon motif traditional to Cochin coinage. The design is executed in a highly schematic and archaic style characteristic of South Indian gold fanams, with raised bosses and pellet groups filling the coin's surface. No legend or inscription is present. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The Cochin fanam was struck under the authority of the Raja of Cochin, though from the late 18th century the kingdom operated increasingly as a client state under British suzerainty — first under the East India Company and later the Crown. These tiny gold pieces continued circulating alongside Company currency long after British administrative dominance made them politically redundant, a stubbornness common to indigenous coinages with deep commercial roots in the Malabar spice trade.
At .585 fineness, the alloy is noticeably paler than high-karat Indian gold issues. The reduced purity was deliberate — a practical adjustment for small-denomination striking at this extreme weight.