Summary

1/2 Rupee, Issued by East India Company, Bengal, India, RY 17 and 49 (AD 1806-1812)
Minted by Muhammadabad Banaras

Obverse Description

Persian legend (most off flan) with fish and sun, or date on flan

Reverse Description

Persian legend (most off flan) with RY dates 17 and 49

Edge Description

Plain

Significance

The reverse of this coins has the two regnal years (RY) frozen 17 and 49. The East India Company had insisted on the frozen RY 17 to stop the coins being devalued when a new RY year appeared in circulation. The intention seems to have been miss understood, although the frozen 17 was complied with, the correct RY dating was continued until the death of the Emperor in RY 49 after which this date too was frozen. The earliest date on which this coin could have been struck was 1806, Shah Alam II 49th year, he died on 18 November 1806. A new issue struck on slightly broader flans was introduced in 1812 the production of this coin precedes that date.

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