Rare British India – Madras Presidency Silver Double Fanam (1764–1807 AD) Lot 3708

Rare British India – Madras Presidency Silver Double Fanam (1764–1807 AD)

An exceptional, hand-struck silver Double Fanam, minted under the authority of the British East India Company (EIC) at the Fort St. George mint in Madras, South India. This heavy silver coin dates to the crucial transitional trading period between 1764 and 1807 AD.

Obverse: Features a highly stylized, abstract standing figure of the Hindu deity Lord Vishnu holding sacred attributes, surrounded by a group of protective dots.

Reverse: Displays the iconic and deeply struck royal monogram of two interlinked letters 'C' with central accent beads. This unique design was specifically utilized by the East India Company to guarantee its currency standard to local and international merchants.

Struck in the classic "dump" fabric style, the coin features an attractive ancient silver patina with sharp, uncleaned details in the high reliefs.

The Fanam was a fundamental currency unit across the spice ports of Southern India. While most local kingdoms struck them in low-grade gold, the Madras Council authorized a high-grade silver standard to interface seamlessly with international maritime trade. Because these coins were produced manually using hand-dies larger than the coin blanks, finding a specimen with such centered, crisp designs on both sides is uncommon.
Actual dimensions:
diameter: 9,5 mm,
Weigth: 1,29 gram.

!! Please note, due to updated import regulations from the United States, we are not able to ship to the US at this moment. !!

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ID: 3708