¼ Rupee – Mewar-Shahpur Feudatory
India
Obverse
Description:
Clumsy, buggy scripts.
Inscription:
Zarb dar al khilafat shahjahanabad julus maimanat manus sanah 12
Reverse
Description:
Blundered scripts with a trident mark (likely Shahpura State).
Inscription:
Shah alam baadshah ghazi sikka mubarak
Edge
Plain
Mintings
| Year | Mint Mark | Mintage | Quality | Collection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — |
Historical background
In 1880, the currency situation within the Mewar-Shahpur Feudatory, a princely state under the British Raj, was characterized by a complex and fragmented monetary system. The state, like many others in India, operated under the broad umbrella of British Indian currency, with the silver rupee established by the Coinage Act of 1870 serving as the official standard. However, the practical reality was one of dual circulation, where British-minted rupees coexisted with a variety of older, locally circulating coins. These often included worn Mewari rupees and smaller denomination copper dhabus and paisas, whose value and acceptance could vary by locality and custom, creating a persistent challenge for trade and administration.
The authority to mint coinage rested with the Maharana of Udaipur, the sovereign of Mewar, but this prerogative was heavily circumscribed by British political supervision following the treaties of subsidiary alliance. While the state likely maintained a mint for producing copper coinage for local use, the issuance of silver rupees was effectively superseded by the imperial system. The British Indian rupee was legally required for all payments to the colonial government, including land revenue and tribute, which steadily cemented its dominance. This created a de facto hierarchy of currency, with British rupees being preferred for official and large transactions, while older local coins persisted in daily rural bazaars and for wage payments.
This monetary duality reflected the broader political ambiguity of the princely state—formally autonomous but practically subordinate. For the inhabitants of Shahpur and the wider Mewar region, the currency situation meant navigating between two economic spheres. While the integration into the British Indian monetary standard facilitated wider trade and administrative coherence, it also gradually eroded a traditional symbol of sovereign authority and added a layer of exchange complexity for the common populace, who had to constantly assess the acceptability and value of the coins in their possession.
The authority to mint coinage rested with the Maharana of Udaipur, the sovereign of Mewar, but this prerogative was heavily circumscribed by British political supervision following the treaties of subsidiary alliance. While the state likely maintained a mint for producing copper coinage for local use, the issuance of silver rupees was effectively superseded by the imperial system. The British Indian rupee was legally required for all payments to the colonial government, including land revenue and tribute, which steadily cemented its dominance. This created a de facto hierarchy of currency, with British rupees being preferred for official and large transactions, while older local coins persisted in daily rural bazaars and for wage payments.
This monetary duality reflected the broader political ambiguity of the princely state—formally autonomous but practically subordinate. For the inhabitants of Shahpur and the wider Mewar region, the currency situation meant navigating between two economic spheres. While the integration into the British Indian monetary standard facilitated wider trade and administrative coherence, it also gradually eroded a traditional symbol of sovereign authority and added a layer of exchange complexity for the common populace, who had to constantly assess the acceptability and value of the coins in their possession.
✨ Legendary