It depicts/shows itself as an (British) East India Company Indian 1/2 Anna. Maybe another temple token??? Ben
Yes it is a currency Eddy but when did it come into existance? I seem to recall that the Indian Rupee was divided into Anna sometime under British rule as opposed to the John Company rule, just looked on wiki and it says that the company began issuing coins in the mid 17c!! so it might well be a temple token
This looks to me as a modern-made coin for tourists. The lettering and the design are far too modern for a 17th century coin. The maker made his own design. It is even not a copy of an existing 17th century coin.
What is the vlue of the coin? Who have a catlog world coins from 1601-1700 , Can help me about the value. Thank you for your responds and thank to the forum.
Some members above have indicated that this is a fantasy piece, meaning it is fake and was created in modern times. The East India Company had only been on the continent a few years by 1616, was not minting coins, and the denomination 'anna' was not yet being used. I looked through the catalog for 1601-1700 anyway and this design is not listed. These pieces have been reported in the past, bearing dates 1616, 1617, etc, they are clearly fabrications that apparently were sold on the street in India to tourists. It would not have any value other than as a fantasy piece.
Look at the link on ebay, the year 1617 this was the the year that the british get arrangement with the mugli empror to make trade for 100 years. the link: http://cgi.ebay.in/EAST-INDIA-COMPANY-HALF-ANNA-1834-SCARCE-DATE-EF_W0QQitemZ180235226104QQihZ008QQcategoryZ118379QQcmdZViewItem read all the listing and search the year 1617. If you have catalog and the coin do not apear it means that the man who made the catalog don't now about this coin. I myself find another coin that not appeared in catalog. So I hope the members of the forum will write their opinion.
"By a series of five acts around 1670, King Charles II provisioned it with the rights to autonomous territorial acquisitions, to mint money, to command fortresses and troops and form alliances, to make war and peace, and to exercise both civil and criminal jurisdiction over the acquired areas." Very interesting reading.. for ebay. The above quote from the artical states that the British East India Company was not authorized to mint money until 1670. Is that accurate? Andy
For what it is worth, I found the following CT thread: http://www.cointalk.org/showthread.php?t=1883 Refer to a brief history, with pictures, of the East Indian company coinage, here: http://www.geocities.com/jmd_brussels/EURUKE.html The link you provide says nothing about coinage in 1617, the oldest EIC anna I see for sale there is from 1833. I do see your coin for sale, though, on eBay, I'm sure there are plenty around. As I said they appear to be available from street vendors.
Just checked the 3rd Edition of Standard catalog of World Coins for this coin and nothing there. Seems like a modern fake to me...
I have looked in many websites for your coin and no coin exist. May,I suggest you take it to a coin dealer and ask questions or to a coin show and ask many question, All the old coin from india do not have english numbers on them. Here is an example of an India coin, Hyderabad Mughal Sulthanate coin - 17th century Cheryl
