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1 Kasu - Virappa Nayaka Madurai Nayaks - 1572-1595 AD
| Issuer | Madurai Nayak Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 1572-1595 |
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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 | A standing male figure depicted in the Chola numismatic tradition occupies the central field, rendered in a schematic, flat relief characteristic of hammered copper coinage of the Nayak period. A trident (trishula) is positioned to the left of the figure, serving as a dynastic or religious symbol. The overall style reflects the continuation of South Indian iconographic conventions inherited from earlier Chola prototypes. The surfaces are irregular due to the hand-struck technique, with the design elements partially defined across the flan. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse lettering | वी |
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| Additional information |
Virappa Nayaka ruled Madurai during a period of intensifying pressure from the Vijayanagara Empire's declining central authority, which paradoxically gave regional Nayak governors room to mint in their own names with increasing autonomy. The Madurai Nayaks had begun as appointed military governors under Vijayanagara but were operating as de facto independent rulers well before they formally declared as much — coinage was one of the cleaner signals of that shift.
Kasu fractions in copper circulated heavily in South Indian bazaar economies, passing through textile and pepper markets where small denominations mattered far more than prestige issues in gold.