The Koyikkal Palace in Nedumangadu, Thiruvananthapuram, is a notable historical site with a rich heritage. The palace, originally the residence of the Queen of Quilon who served as the regent of Venad from 1677 to 1684, has been meticulously restored and now functions under the management of the Department of Archaeology.
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The Koyikkal Palace kerala keralaculture.org
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The two-story palace, featuring a sloping tiled roof and distinct gables, houses a unique museum that offers visitors a glimpse into Kerala's past. This includes an era marked by active maritime trade, especially in rare spices, with various foreign countries.
A highlight of the museum is its numismatic section, which attracts many visitors with its extensive collection of rare coins. These coins chronicle Kerala's rich history of maritime trade with nations such as Holland, Portugal, Britain, and Rome. Among the treasures are 374 Roman gold coins bearing images of Roman gods and goddesses like Mars, Hercules, Venus, Ceres, and Genius, as well as the ruler Hadrian. A particularly prized possession is the Amaida, a rare Venetian coin believed to have been presented to Jesus Christ.This section came up in 1996 and is one of a kind in this state.
The collection also includes coins from various Indian dynasties, such as those of Gwalior, Hyderabad, and Mysore, as well as the Karsha coins dating back about 2500 years. The museum holds some of the oldest coins of Kerala, including Erattaputhen-Ottaputhen, Kaliyugarayan Panam, and Indo-Dutch-puthen from 1782 AD. The term "puthen," meaning "new," was used to denote new coin releases under different monarchies.
Other notable exhibits include Kerala's smallest coins, the Kerala Rasis, minted in the 10th century, and the Sreekrishna Rasi, Lekshmi Varaham, and Ananthanarayan Panam coins from Travancore. A fascinating artifact is the Rasi Palaka, a wooden coin-counting board used centuries ago. Unfortunatly images are not available on the old coins.
Overall, the Koyikkal Palace museum offers a rare and captivating journey through Kerala's historical coinage and trade practices, providing visitors with a memorable connection to the region's rich cultural heritage.4o
https://www.keralatourism.org/destination/koyikkal-palaceenedumangad/238/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koyikkal_Palace
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