Travancore (1881) viraraya fanam KM-30
This specimen was lot 47064 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Oklahoma City, OK, August 2025), where it sold for $168. The catalog description[1] noted, "INDIA. Travancore. Vir Fan, ND (1881). Rama Varma V (Under Victoria as Empress). PCGS MS-65." Numista comments, "Though the Viraraya fanams (KM#29 silver and KM#30 gold) are listed under Travancore, they were issued by various rulers in Ceylon (Rajas of Kandy) and along the Malabar coast in India. Various types were used all along the Malabar coast. They are found in Travancore because coins might have probably been used in trade. There is no documentation of these coins being issued by Travancore rulers."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specifications: 0.41 g, gold, 9 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM-30, Fr-unlisted.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, August 2025 Global Showcase Auction, World & Ancient Coins, featuring The Richard August Collection and the Richard Margolis Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
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