Indo-French Pondicherry King Louis XIV Bronze 1 Doudou Historical Coin of Colonial India

French India, Pondicherry, King Louis XIV, Reign: 1643–1715 CE, Years of Minting: 1715–1835 CE, Denomination: 1 Doudou, Metal: Bronze, Weight: 3.96 grams, Diameter: 14.5 mm, Mint: Pondicherry (Puducherry), Reference: KM# 35, About Very Fine, Very Scarce.

Obverse: Fleur-de-lis.

Reverse: Tamil inscription “புது சசெ ரி” (Pudu Cheri) within decorative border.

Issued under the French colonial administration at Pondicherry, this bronze 1 Doudou formed part of the local monetary system used in French India. Although traditionally associated with King Louis XIV, these undated pieces continued to be struck and circulated well after his reign. Produced at the Pondicherry Mint, the coin reflects the blending of French and Indian traditions, with the royal fleur-de-lis symbol appearing on the obverse and the name of Pondicherry rendered in Tamil script on the reverse. Such coinage facilitated commerce in the French settlements along the Coromandel Coast and circulated alongside the currencies of neighboring Indian states and European trading powers. Their crude fabric and irregular shape are characteristic of locally produced colonial issues. Today, the Pondicherry Doudou remains an important and collectible relic of French India’s numismatic heritage and the early European presence in South India.

Coinage Note: Struck at the Pondicherry (Puducherry) Mint, the Doudou was one of the principal copper denominations of French India. The Tamil inscription “புது சசெ ரி” represents “Pudu Cheri” (“New Village”), from which the name Pondicherry was derived.