Alwar State Raja Sheodan Singh Copper Takka Rare Coin in the name of Queen Victoria

Alwar State in the mid-19th century was undergoing political transition when Sawai Sheodan Singh assumed the throne in 1857, the very year the Great Indian Revolt erupted. As a newly installed ruler, he adopted a cautious and pragmatic policy to safeguard his kingdom. During the 1857 uprising, Alwar did not rise against the British; instead, Sheodan Singh maintained cooperation with the colonial authorities to ensure stability and to avoid punitive action. This loyalty is clearly reflected in his coinage, which carries elegant Persian inscriptions praising Queen Victoria as “The Exalted Queen at the seat of the realm England.”

The reverse of the Copper Takka proclaims Sheodan Singh’s own titles, asserting his legitimacy while simultaneously acknowledging British supremacy. Minted between 1857 and 1874, this coin stands as a numismatic record of a princely state balancing sovereignty with colonial expectations. With its distinctive bilingual political messaging and limited issue, the Takka remains a very rare and historically important piece from Alwar.