Coins - Ancient & Medieval India

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  Introduction

  • Coin made up of the latin word “Cuneus”
  • First coin used in china in 700 BC
  • In India coins used in 600 BC
  • Study of coins and medallion is called as Numismatics.

Punch Mark coins
  • Earliest coins and made using die struck technique with 1 side minted
  • Five marks used that why called as Punch mark coins
  • Panini Ashtadhyayi mention about these coins
  • Each coin is called as Ratti weighting 0.11 grams
Classification of Punch marks coins
1. Punch mark coin issued during 6th century BC
  • Issued during Mahajanapada period
  • Called as purana, karshapana or Pana
  • Coins were of irregular shape and standard weight
  • Made up of silver
  • Maghda coins were most famous and widely circulated
  • Mention in Manusmriti and buddhist literature
2. Punch mark coin issued during Mauryan period
  • Chanakya's Arthashastra mention about minting of various coins
  • Rupyarupa (Silver), Savarnrupa (Gold), Tamrarupa (Copper) and Sisarupa (Lead)
  • Sun and Six armed wheel were most important symbols
  • Weight of 50-54 grains of silver called as Karshapana
Indo Greek Coins
  • Started showing buster head of the king on the coins
  • Greek and pali (Kharosthi script) Language used
  • Greek gods like Apollo, zeus, hercules were shown
  • Later Indian deities were also shown
  • Made up of Silver, gold and copper also
  • Carried date, monarch name, portrait also
  • Kaniska issued with helmet wore head of king on one side and greek god on other side
Satavahana Coins
  • Coins made up of mostly lead
  • Silver as well as Potin (copper +silver) material used
  • Devoid of any Artistic beauty
  • On the one side figure of elephants,horse,lion and chaitya
  • Other side had Ujjain symbol
  • Language used in Prakrit
Indo Scythians Coins
  • Saka ruled over gujarat, kathiawar and malwa region
  • Coins issued had dates in saka era (78 AD)
  • On One side, Head of the king and Buddha chaitya on the other side
  • Language used was prakrit
Gupta Period Coins
  •  Large scale gold coin issued
  • Silver coins were also issued after chandragupta II
  • On one side of the coin---
    • King playing veena,standing before Altar,Performing Ashvmedha
    • Hunting horse and elephants,slaying a lion or tiger
  • On the other side of the coin-
    • Image of goddess lakshmi,Lotus flower
    • Image of queen herself also there
  • Language used was Sanskrit in Brahmi Script
  • Gupta rulers showed religious affiliation,leisurely activities and social activities also
Vardhana Coins
  • Harshavardhana the most powerful ruler ruled from 606 AD
  • Silver coins issued
  • On one side, head of the ruler and peacock on the other side
  • Dates on coins mentioned is 606 AD started as Harsha Era
Chalukyan coins
  • Ruled over karnataka in 6-7th century AD
  • Westran chalukyan issued coins with Temple,lion or legends on one side
  • Other side left blank
  • Eastran chalukyan issued coins with boar on one side and blank other side
Rajput coins
  • Issued during 11-12th century AD
  • Mostly made up of Gold, copper and billion (silver +copper)
  • Name of the king on one side and goddess on other side
  • While gandhara coins had sitting bull on one side and horse on the other side
Pandyan coins
  • Square shape coins
  • Elephant image was used in early times
  • Later, Fish Was used at large scale
  • Gold and silver coins had inscription in sanskrit
  • Copper coins had inscription in Tamil
Chola coins
  • Raja raja 1 issued coins with standing king on one side
  • Seated goddess on other side
  • Sanskrit language used
  • Tiger and fish emblem used
  • Rajendra issued coins with Gangaikonda cholapuram inscribe on the coins
Turkish and delhi sultanate coins
  • Coin had name of the king, date as per Hijiri calendar
  • No kings image was used due to ban on idolatry
  • Gold, silver and copper coins issued
  • Illtutmish introduced Silver tanka and copper jital
  • Muhammad bin tughlaq issued copper and bronze coins
  • Shar shah suri launched Rupee and dam in standard of 178 and 330 grain of weight
Vijayanagara coins
  • Issued in 14-16th century AD
  • Issued large quantity of Gold, pure silver coins
  • Types of vijayanagara coins
    • Pagoda Means Higher denomination –figure of running warrior along with dagger symbol
    • Gold fanams - fractional units
    • Silver taras - fractional units
    • Copper coins - day to day transactions.
  • Language used was kannada
  • Figure of eagle and elephants was used
Mughal coins
  • Called as Mohar and made up of Gold with 170-175 grain weight
  • Mohur was equivalent to 9 rupees as mentioned in Ain-e-akbari
  • Silver coin was also issued
  • Akbar issued both round and square coins
  • In 1579, issued Illahi Coins to spread religious message of Din-i- illahi
  • On illahi coins “god is great and may his glory be glorified” was written
  • Sahansah was the largest coin
  • Jahangir added couplets and his wife noor jahan also
  • Most famous coins are of Zodiac sign
Important Facts
  • Coin mention in veda called as Nishaka
  • Sher shah suri launched silver rupiya
  • Money tree was used to store their values
  • Shivaji issued Gold huns and copper Shivrai
  • Wodeyar dynasty issue coins with narasimha image

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