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Rupee - Nader Afshar Java counter-mark
| Issuer | Netherlands East Indies (1601-1949) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1753-1760 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse of the original Afsharid rupee is largely obscured by the applied oval countermark of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), punched in the centre of the field. Within the countermark, Arabic-script legends in Nasta'liq style read 'ضرب دارالسلطنه اصفهان ۱۱۵۹' (Struck at the Seat of the Sultanate, Isfahan, AH 1159), surmounted by the word 'جاوه' (Java), authenticating the coin for circulation in the VOC-controlled territory of Java. The surrounding host coin field retains traces of the original Isfahan mint legends in Arabic script. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
In the mid-eighteenth century, the VOC faced a chronic shortage of specie on Java adequate for day-to-day trade. Rather than wait for shipments from Amsterdam or Batavia's own limited mint output, company officials counter-marked foreign silver already in circulation — in this case, rupees struck under Nader Shah's authority — to validate them for use in VOC-controlled territories. The counter-mark effectively conscripted Persian imperial coinage into Dutch colonial commerce without the expense of remelting.
The date range reflects the window during which this practice was authorized on Java, ending as improved supply chains reduced dependence on improvised monetary solutions.