New Insight into the Lakshadweep history -P. K. S. Ashraf, Principal, Govt. Sr. Sec. School, Chetlat
Chetlat: A few silver coins were unearthed in Chetlat Island on 13.7.2011 while a new beach road was laid out in the eastern side of the Island. One of the coins has been recovered from the local people and kept in the Govt. Senior Secondary School in the Island. The letters imprinted in the coins show “CAROLUS IIII – DEI.GRATIA 1803” on the one side and on the reverse “HISPAN. ET. IND. REX. M 8R. F.T”. The new finding did not arouse any excitement among the local people working on the road and one or two coins were casually thrown away.
It is a Spanish Dollar printed in the Spanish Empire, which was widely used in Europe, America and the Far East and became the first world currency by the late 18th century. Dei Gratia is a Greek and Latin phrase which means ‘By the Grace of God’.
8R 1803 Mo-FT Charles IV portrait coinage (Mexico City)
Obverse: CAROLUS · IIII · DEI · GRATIA · 1803 ·
Reverse: · HISPAN · ET IND · REX · Mo · 8 R · F · T ·
Reverse: · HISPAN · ET IND · REX · Mo · 8 R · F · T ·
Weight: 411.4 g (26.65 grams) Diameter: 39.2 mm
This is an example of the "portrait" or "modified pillar" design with a portrait of Charles IV on the obverse and the Spanish arms between the two pillars on the reverse. In the reverse legend Mo is the mintmark indicating the coin was produced at the mint in Mexico City. This is followed by '8 R' which indicates the denomination of eight.
The coins were found at the eastern side of Chetlat Island near the ‘Churakanar’area. Churakanar is a small but comparatively safer entrance on the eastern side used by country crafts from very remote times. The coins were found on the land on the direct path of Churakanar entrance and were unearthed at a depth of 4 feet.
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