Pagoda (coin)
The pagoda was a unit of currency, a coin made of gold or half-gold minted by Indian dynasties as well as the British, the French and the Dutch. It was subdivided into 42 fanams. The pagoda was issued by various dynasties in medieval southern India, including the Kadambas of Hangal, the Kadambas of Goa, and the Vijaynagar Empire.

There were two types of pagoda coined by foreign traders:
The most valuable was the star pagoda, 100 of them were worth 350 rupees, issued by the East India Company at Madras.
The second was the Porto Novo pagoda, issued by the Dutch at Tuticorin and also by the Nawabs of Arcot, and worth about 25% less than the star pagoda.

The French struck local gold "pagodas" and silver "fanams" under contract by the nawabs. The silver coins of the French were called "fanon" which were equivalent to the local "fanam" and could be exchanged at the rate of 26 fanon to one gold pagoda. 
Kattabomman almost cleared all the revenue arrears leaving only a balance of 1080 pagodas

See also

Madras fanam
Travancore Fanam
Coinage of Asia

References

External links

Sources of Karnataka History - Numismatics
European East India Companies coins - photos
The Pagoda - A Proclamation Coin
Proclamation Coin - Indian Gold Pagoda

Coins of India
Economic history of Karnataka