Description
Independent Kingdom : Mysore, Gold pagoda ; Haidar Ali (1761-1782 AD), KM 15
Weight : 3.43 Grams
Obverse: Siva and Parvati seated facing; Siva holding trishul (trident) and mriga (deer)
Reverse: Persian letter He (for Haidar) with a beautiful rosette within the curve of the letter
Ref: MNI 971; MSI 1046-47; Henderson 1-2; KM 15
The Shiva-Parvati type of Haidar Ali imitated the coins of the Ikkeri Nayakas, whom he defeated in 1763. They were also the source of the gold that funded this coinage.
By depicting Hindu deities on his coins, the new Muslim ruler was continuing a numismatic tradition that stretched back 400 years. The Vijayanagar kingdom had first placed Shiva-Parvati on its coins in the 14th century.
A wonderful specimen sharply struck on a full flan. Note the beautiful rosette within the curve of He.
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