½ Doudou, French India, Pondichery

[cam]

Hi,

Please correct me if I am wrong. I think that it is ½ Doudou, French India, Pondichery (Puducherry), KM# 34

ND (1715-1774)

Weight: 1,7 g
Diameter: 12 mm

Thanks a lot,
Alexander

[Figleaf]

Confirmed. Right picture to be turned 90° clockwise.

You can improve the picture by using angled, softer light, e.g. evening or early morning sunlight, dampened by a sheet of white paper if necessary (I guess you don't see the sun very often this time of the year). Lamp light is too harsh for your camera. Angled light will throw shadows, which facilitate reading.

Peter

[cam]

Thanks a lot, Peter!

I've rotated the image. Still cannot see anything reasonable on the reverse.

BTW, we still have lots of sunlight

Best regards from sunny Finland!

[Figleaf]

The picture in KM is confusing and possible upside down. The picture of the doudou is more enlightening.

Some names of French Indian coins are clear, e.g. cache - cash, fayon - fanam, biche - pice but doudou remains a mystery. The denomination (⅓ fanam) does not fit easily in the local monetary system of 2 pagodes = 7 roupies = 56 fanons = 1020 caches. It may have served as a link between the pagoda system and the French monetary system, as a doudou would have been equal to 10 centimes. However, the rate of 8.40 pagoda to the FFR I am using here dates from 1843, when the doudou had long disappeared. I don't have an earlier rate of exchange.

FWIW, a doudou was originally a small soft object and a term used for women, much like "honey" in English. Today, it is used for soft baby toys.

Peter

[cam]

Peter, thanks a lot for a very interesting story!

[Quant.Geek]

See http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php/topic,18332.msg124672.html

Ram

[cam]

See http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php/topic,18332.msg124672.html

Ram

Thanks a lot!