Mysore Kingdom, Haidar Ali (AH 1174-1197 / 1761-1782 AD), Arkat Mint, Silver 1/8 Rupee, Broad Flan (Struck on ¼ Rupee flan?), AH 1195/17RY, In the name of Shah Alam II, Obv: Persian legend "Badshah Ghazi" with Hijri year 1195, Rev: Persian legend "zarb Arkat" (mint name) with initial 'Ha' for Haidar & 17 regnal year, 1.49g, 12.00mm, (Unpublished & Unlisted), original patina, sharply struck, choice extremely fine, Exceptionally Rare.

Note: This extremely rare coin was most likely struck during the second Anglo-Mysore War, when Haider Ali, being friends with the French, invaded the Carnatic region, in retaliation to the British occupation of the French port of Mahé on the Malabar Coast. Haider occupied Arcot on 3rd November 1780 and conducted attacks on various British possessions from his base there. He died suddenly in 1782 and the War ended two years later in 1784 with the treaty of Mangalore.

The AH/RY combination on the coin is curious – while AH 1195 corresponds to 1781AD and falls perfectly well in the period of Haider's occupation of Arcot, RY17 does not match with this. It is certainly not the RY of Shah Alam II. It is most likely counted from the establishment of Haider as the sole ruler of Mysore from 1764 after he defeated the Khanderao, the Dalwayi, and the appointee of the Queen of Mysore.

The denomination of the coin makes it unique. It is likely to have been specially struck – as it lacks the usual words ‘Julus’ etc. on the reverse. The letter ‘Ha’ also occurs on extremely rare rupees of Arkat mint struck in AH1196, but with the same RY.

This is an important discovery from the coinage of Haider Ali. It is the first coin of its type to be found to be in existence and has never been offered in the past.

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