Nawabs of Arcot, Gold Pagoda, undated (1790 AD), 3.40g, KM 14
Obv: Three standing swamis
Rev: Stippled / granulated field, Arabic letter Ain
Mitresh, I have a 3-swamy pagoda with matching obverse (which is different from EIC full length 3-swamy pagoda), but just granulated reverse. I think mine may be Kuruki pagoda. From "Numismata Orientalia" "Coins of Southern India" by Sir Walter Elliot, page 144:
"The hūns of Sa'adut Ulla Khán, who succeeded Nawāb Dáwad Khán, and died in 1731, are recognized by the Persian letters alſ" (illah) on the granulated reverse, which is replaced on those of his relative Safdar 'Ali Khán by the letter 8 (ain). On his murder in 1741, the office of Nawāb was conferred by the Nizám on another family, that of Anwar-ud-din Khán, but his son Muhammad 'Ali, received his investiture direct from Delhi, with the high-sounding title of Walajāh Nawāb ul-Hind in 1766. In 1858 I received some information regarding his coinage with extracts of the mint accounts from the Dewän of the late Nawāb. By these it appears Walajáh struck coins at other places besides Arcot, viz. Porto-Novo, Trichinopoli and Tiruvamur, and among the coins named are the Walajāhi, Kuruki, 'Umdat-ul-Mülki, Star and Feringhipet. Some of these I have not seen. The Kuruki is not uncommon. It has the three standing figures strongly marked, and a plain granulated reverse."
Appreciate any insight.
From what I have seen so far, British EIC 3-swamy pagoda (full figure, first version) has a different obverse. The main difference seems to be the deity (Lord Venkateshwara) in the middle has hands to his sides, while in the Arcot pagodas it looks like the diety has hands on his consorts. For comparison, the following is a BEIC 3-swamy pagoda that I have.
Are these covered by Herrli's book? Could someone who has a copy check them?
Peter