India - 1761-1782 - Mysore
Gold Haidar Ali Pagoda

The Mysore Haidar Ali Pagoda classified by Codrington as TwoSwami Pagoda was struck in Mysore in 1763 and were current in Ceylon (1777 Thunberg, p 229)

SPECIFICATIONS
DenominationOne Pagoda
LegalGold Au.???
Metal XRF Gold Au.854
Alloy Ag%Cu 0.81
TypeStruck
Diameter11.9 mm
Thickness2.8 mm
Weight Legal3.406 gms
Weight3.40 gms
ShapeRound
EdgePlain
DieAxis
haydarali_pagoda_obverse haydarali_pagoda_reverse
KM Mysore #15

Obverse : Siva and parvati seated.
Reverse : Granulated with large persian initial He in the shape of a sickle ( C ) in centre.

Struck by Haydar 'Ali of Mysore in 1763.

The obverse design is of the Ikkeri type issued by Sadasiva Nayak, who belonged to the Keladi family of Ikkeri (Bednur). When Hyder Ali captured Bednur, he continued minting these coins substituting the reverse legend with his initial He'.

Is this the pagoda described in Thunberg as having a moon on the reverse, and stamped with two images on the opposite side; it is of, and is met with in whole and half pieces.

Text from
* Ceylon Coins and Currency By H. W. Codrington. Colombo 1924
  Page 172 Chapter XIII Miscellaneous: VI - Pagodas and Fanams.

The coin was scanned at 600dpi and the images are displayed at 500dpi.
The BU condition coins were purchased in January 2002 on ebay from Jim Farr, a leading US collector.