Summary

1/2 Pagoda, Issued by, Madras Presidency, India, 1808-1812
2nd series
Minted by Madras Mint

Note: Overstruck on plug from a Spanish-American 8 Real of Carlos IIII (1788-1807)

Obverse Description

At centre a temple tower (gopura) surrounder by stars; around on an buckled garter, HALF PAGODA (the first three letters of HALF have not removed the HIS of HISPANIA from the original coin)

Reverse Description

At centre within circles of beads, the Hindu God Vishnu; around on a ribbon with its ends seperated by a star, the denomination in Telugu and Tamil (the first characters of the Tegulu have not removed the S IIII of CAROLUS IIII from the original coin)

Edge Description

Milled ///

Significance

Silver coins struck on the pagoda standard were authorised in July 1807. The coins were struck from silver obtained from Spanish dollars (this coin shows some of the original Spanish lettering). In 1808 the dumpy style gold star pagoda was replaced by flat European style gold coins and the initial silver series was re-designed to this form to closer match the new gold pieces. Production continued until June 1812 when dissatisfaction with the complex pagoda and Arkat rupee based coinages led to a Proclamation stopping production of, but permitting the continued circulation of the pagoda based pieces. A new rupee standard was introduced in January 1818 producing a standardised coinage.

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