Currencies/French Indian cache
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Introduction
The French Indian Cache was a small copper coin used in the French settlements of India—including Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahé, and Yanaon—during the 18th and early 19th centuries. It formed part of the localized currency system established by the French colonial administration to facilitate trade in southern India.
History
The Cache coin first appeared in circulation during the early 18th century, with documented issues dating from 1720. It was minted primarily for use in Pondicherry and Karaikal, two of the most active French trading enclaves on India’s Coromandel Coast.
By the mid-18th century, the Cache had become a common small-change coin in local markets, serving both colonial merchants and Indian traders. Coins dated 1740 and later 1835 illustrate its long lifespan across multiple French regimes, from the French East India Company period to direct control under the French Republic.
Despite wars and shifting colonial control between the French and British, the Cache maintained its role in regional commerce for over a century.
Coins
The French Indian Cache was typically made of copper, occasionally bronze, and was modest in size, designed for everyday use.
Design features commonly included:
Obverse Monogram or emblem of the French authority (such as the crowned “RF” or fleurs-de-lis).
Reverse Denomination “CACHE” with the date and often the mint location (Pondichéry or Karikal).
Because of limited minting facilities in India, some issues were produced in Paris and later shipped to the colonies, while others were locally struck with simpler designs.
Currency
The Cache circulated as a low-denomination coin within the French Indian monetary system, used mainly for local transactions in food markets, small goods, and daily trade. It existed alongside other colonial units such as the fanon, doudou, and biche, which together formed a complex hybrid between Indian and French systems of value.
Legacy
The French Indian Cache remains a historical reminder of France’s economic activity in South Asia. Its long period of use—from 1720 to 1835—demonstrates how colonial authorities adapted European monetary practices to Indian commerce. Today, surviving Cache coins are rare and valued by collectors for their simplicity and connection to the daily life of colonial-era Pondicherry.