2018-06-13 Wed

Illustrated here is silver Rupee of Gwalior Princely State struck under the authority of Jean Baptiste Filose. Filose was a military commander in the army of Daulat Rao Sindhia, the Maratha ruler of Gwalior. This coin was struck in the name of Muhammad Akbar II.

On the obverse of this coin a legend is inscribed in Persian script, which reads ‘Sahib-e-Qiran Sani’ with cannon and St Stephen’s cross. The reverse of this coin depicts the legend ‘Sawai Jaipur’ with Julus formula and RY year.

This variety of rupee did not feature in the article “Making the Most in Troubled Times: Jean-Baptiste Filose and his Coinage” by Shailendra Bhandare. It is very likely to have been struck at Unniara, a thikana of Jaipur, which came under Filose's attack during his campaign against Rajput chiefs located towards the northern borders of his own jagir of Sheopur Kalan. The general style of the coin is comparable to the issues of Karauli which also used the mint-name 'Sawai Jaipur'.

Image Source: Classical Numismatic Gallery