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1/2 Rupee - Muhammad Shah Arcot
| Issuer | Arcot Mint (Nawabs of Arcot, struck in the name of Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1739 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Persian (Nastaliq) script inscription in the central field reading the name and titles of Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah, arranged in two horizontal registers separated by a ruled line. Floral or pellet ornaments appear in the field flanking the central legend. The script is bold and characteristic of hammered Mughal coinage of the early 18th century. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | محمد شاه |
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| Additional information |
1739 was the year Nadir Shah of Persia sacked Delhi, massacred tens of thousands of its inhabitants, and carried off the Peacock Throne — effectively ending any meaningful Mughal authority over the subcontinent. Coins struck in Muhammad Shah's name at peripheral mints like Arcot continued regardless, the fiction of imperial sovereignty maintained in metal long after it had collapsed in practice.
The Nawabs of Arcot operated with increasing autonomy throughout this period, their relationship with both the Mughal court and the rising European trading companies shifting constantly. Striking in the emperor's name was commercial and diplomatic habit as much as anything else.