Shivaji Rao Holkar, Silver Rupee, 11.20g, Milled issue, “Continuous legend” type, Indore Mint, VS 1958, Obv: Frontal bust of Shivaj Rao wearing a Holkar turban and strings of pearls, Devanagari legend “Shrimant Shivaji Rao Maharaja Holkar Indur” around and VS date below, Rev: Coat-of arms of the state – Crest- A Sun radiant under a Chhatri (royal umbrella). Arms- A field of poppy and wheat over which a Khanda (broadsword) and a spear in saltire. On the left, a Horse rearing and on the right, a Nandi (sacred bull) couchant. Motto- in Sanskrit “Prahomesho labhyā Shrih Kartuh Prārabdhāt” (“Umesh says thus, success attends him who strives”). Denomination above and name of state (in English) below Nice toning. About uncirculated, exceedingly rare. Towards the end of the 19th century, some princely states experimented with introduction of machine-struck coinages, in response to the pressure from the colonial government to curtail their minting prerogatives. Indore state bought second-hand British machinery and ordered manufacturing of punches and dies from the Heaton mint in Birmingham. A machine-struck currency was launched but proved largely unsuccessful because of mechanical problems involving incompatibility of dies with coining equipment bought second-hand. In addition to practical issues, the British government kept its pressure on, pointing to the size of the coins being the same as British rupees and pressuring the state to reduce it. As a result, two years into the production, smaller dies were ordered from Heaton – the slightly smaller size meant that the bust size had to be reduced and the legend now ran continuously around the bust. These later issues, dated VS1958, are much rarer than the issues with VS1956 date.