Cochin coins catalog with values
The Kingdom of Cochin was the only state in
South Asia considered a protectorate of China. The king of
Cochin had been sending tribute to China since 1411, and then
requested a patent of investiture and a seal. The Ming admiral
Zheng He delivered to Cochin a stone tablet on which was
inscribed a proclamation drafted by Emperor Yongle.
As long as Cochin remained under the protection of the Ming
dynasty, the rulers of Calicut feared to invade Cochin, however,
when Chinese support ceased Zamorin of Calicut started the war.
In the late 15th century, the Zamorins occupied Cochin and
installed their protégé as ruler.
In 1500, Portuguese admiral Pedro Álvares Cabral landed in
Cochin after being repulsed from Calicut. The king of Cochin
welcomed the Portuguese and signed a treaty of friendship. The
king allowed 34 Portuguese to build a factories and stay in the
kingdom.
In 1502, a new Portuguese expedition under the command of Vasco
da Gama arrived in Cochin. The Portuguese helped Cochin in
fighting the age-old enemy. Vasco da Gama bombed the port of
Calicut and destroyed the Arab factories there. In response, the
ruler of Calicut, Zamorin, besieged Cochin and destroyed the
Portuguese factories. But soon reinforcements arrived and the
siege was lifted.
To protect Cochin from further attacks, on September 27, 1503,
the wooden Fort Emmanuel was laid out, which became the first
Portuguese fortification in India. In 1505, the wooden fort was
replaced by a stone fort. The fort of Castelo de Cima was then
built.
Gradually the Portuguese arsenal at Cochin was increased,
apparently to help the king defend Cochin. From there the
Portuguese exported large quantities of spices.
In 1530, St. Francis Xaverian founded a Christian mission in the
city.
Soon after Portuguese rule in Kerala declined and was replaced
by the Dutch, who had by then conquered Kollam after various
clashes with the Portuguese and their allies. The members of the
royal family of Cochin, dissatisfied with the ruler, approached
the Dutch for help in overthrowing the Kochin Raja. The Dutch
successfully landed at Nyarakala and captured the fort at
Pallipuram. Bolgatta Palace, built in 1744 by Dutch traders is
one of the oldest existing Dutch palaces outside the
Netherlands.
The Mysore ruler Haider Ali subjugated Cochin along with other
Malabar states between 1773 and 1776. The Raja was forced to pay
tribute to Mysore. During this period, the ruling dynasty of
Cochin came to an end.
In 1814, under the Anglo-Dutch treaty, Cochin was ceded to the
United Kingdom in exchange for Banka Island.
In 1920, the raja, with the help of Lord Willingdon, then
governor of Madras, brought the port engineer Robert Bristow to
Cochin. Within 21 years, the latter helped turn Cochin into the
safest harbor in South Asia. Ships docked at the inner wharf
equipped with steam hoists.
Fort Cochin was converted into a municipality in 1866 and the
first municipal council elections were held in 1883. The
Maharaja of Cochin initiated local self-government in 1896 by
forming town councils at Mattancherry and Ernakulam. In 1925,
the Cochin Legislative Assembly was established to help the
public participate in governance.
Cochin was the first native principality to voluntarily join the
new Dominion of India in 1947.
Principality of Cochin
Cochin Rupee=8 fanam; Fanam=4 chakram; Chakram=32 cash
1 fanam no date (18 century)
Gold
Value - 25-30 USD
Coins of Cochin in the catalog are presented divided by historical periods, indicating the main characteristics and differences by type.
Inside the sections, the coins are sorted by denomination - from large to small.
The cost of the coin is approximate and is indicated specifically for the coin shown in the picture. You can use this price to evaluate similar coins (of the same type), but remember that the value is affected by many factors, such as the state of preservation and the date of minting. The cost of coins of the same type can vary greatly depending on the number of surviving copies.
Coins of Cochin presented on this page are not sold or bought - this is only a catalog.