2021-12-22 Wed

Madras Presidency was an administrative subdivision (presidency) of British India. To its greatest extent, Madras's Presidency included much of southern India. By the middle of the eighteenth century the Madras coinage was based on two separate systems, essentially gold and copper South Indian coinage and silver Moghul coinage.

By 1800, the major gold coin of the Madras Presidency was the star pagoda, the major silver coin was the Arcot rupee and the major copper coin was the ten cash piece or Dudu. In the last decade of the 18th Century, some steps were taken to put the copper cash coinage which was produced by machinery.

The obverse incuse legend is "AUSPICIO REGIS ET SENATUS ANGLIAE" which translates from Latin as "Under the Auspices of the King and Senate of England." The edge lettering (incuse) is "ENGLISH UNITED EAST INDIA COMPANY." The reverse depicts Balemark of the Company surrounded by a broad flat rim. On the rim is the incuse legend: United East India Company 1794 and lettering: UNITED EAST INDIA COMPANY.

Image Courtesy: numista.com