Friday, October 16, 2009

French India coins

1720-1835 FRENCH INDIA HAMMERED DOUDOU &CACHE


FLEUR-DE-LIS PONDICHERRY MINT

The French settled in India after the creation in 1666 by Jean-Baptiste Colbert of the "Compagnie des Indes Orientales". Their first settlement was established in Surat in 1668, followed by Chandernagore in Bengal in 1673. The most important was Pondichery, on the eastern coast (Coromandel coast), which became wide known on the arrival of the French on the February 4th, 1673. Twenty years after in 1693, the town became the property of the Dutch before belonging to France in 1699 with the" traité de Ryswick". Others included Mahe, located on the Malabar coast, which was founded in 1725, Yanam and Karaikal, both on the Coromandel coast, respectively in 1731 and 1739. All the French enclaves were handed over to India in 1954 and constitute since the "Union Territory of Pondicherry".

Coins are generally 15 - 17mm across (irregular), 3mm thick, & undated.