View source for Arcot AH 1218/44 rupee

[[Image:SA47-0996.jpg|550px|thumb|Stephen Album sale 47, lot 996]]

This specimen was lot 996 in Stephen Album sale 47 (Santa Rosa, CA, September 2023), where it sold for $420. The catalog description<sup>[1]</sup> noted, "FRENCH [[India|INDIA]]: AR rupee, Arkat, AH1218 year 44, in the name of Shah Alam II, a superb mint state example! PCGS graded MS65, ex Charles W. Lueders III Collection." This type was struck AH 1177-1208 and 1218-1222. We're not sure where this was made but it's unlikely that it was struck at Arcot itslef as that town was annexed by the British in 1801.

Wikipedia comments, "Ghulam Husain Ali Khan (8 January 1748 – 15 July 1801) aka Ghulam Hussainy or Umdat ul-Umra, was the Nawab of the Carnatic state in the Mughal Empire from 1795 to 1801.... Azim-ud-Daula (1775 – 2 August 1819) was the Nawab of Carnatic from 1801 to 1819. He was the eldest son of Amir ul-Umara and nephew of Umdat ul-Umara." The British became convinced that Umdat al-Umara had been providing secret assistance to their nemesis, Tipu Sultan of Mysore. After Tipu's defeat and death, they demanded that Umdat al-Umara surrender administation of his state to them. He refused but the British forced his successor, Azim-ud-Daula, to sign the treaty anyway, ending the independence of the Carnatic. French influence had been strong there but after 1801 was restricted to their stations at Pondichery, Yanaon and Karikal. Both the French and the British issued imitations of Arcot rupees.

''Recorded mintage:'' unknown.

''Specification:'' 11.4 g, silver. 

''Catalog reference:'' KM-15, Cr-45, Gad-15.

''[[Bibliography|Source:]]''
* Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, ''Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed.'', Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019. 
* <sup>[1]</sup>Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, ''Auction 47'', Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2023.

''Link to:''
* [[Arcot AH 1212/4 rupee]] Umdat ul-Umara
* [[Coins and currency dated 1803]]

[[Category:Selections from Stephen Album sale 47]][[Category:Coinage of the Indian states]]