Tipu Sultan Mysore Kingdom Copper 1/4 Paisa Khaliqabad Mint

Reverse: Persian inscription with the mint name “Khaliqabad” and denomination in elegant calligraphy.

Tipu Sultan, popularly known as the “Tiger of Mysore,” was one of the most remarkable rulers of eighteenth-century India. Reigning from 1782 to 1799, he transformed the Mysore Kingdom into a powerful military state that resisted British expansion in southern India. Tipu introduced extensive administrative, military, and monetary reforms, establishing a distinctive coinage system that replaced traditional Hindu motifs with Islamic inscriptions while retaining the elephant on many copper issues as a regional symbol of strength and sovereignty. His reign witnessed continuous conflicts with the British East India Company and its allies, culminating in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, during which he was killed defending the fortress of Srirangapatna in 1799. Today, his coinage remains among the most historically significant and collectible issues of late eighteenth-century India.

Coinage Note: Copper 1/4 Paisa coins struck at the Khaliqabad Mint formed part of Tipu Sultan’s carefully organized monetary system intended for everyday circulation. Catalogued as KM #81.2, these compact copper issues are distinguished by the elephant motif on the obverse and the Persian mint inscription on the reverse. Coins of the Khaliqabad Mint are considerably scarcer than those of several other Mysore mints, making them highly desirable among collectors specializing in the coinage of Tipu Sultan and the Mysore Kingdom.