Mughal Coinage

Mughal Coinage Technically, the Mughal period in India commenced in 1526 AD when Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodhi, the Sultan of Delhi and ended in 1857 AD when the British deposed and exiled Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal Emperor after the great uprising. The later emperors after Shah Alam II were little more than figureheads. The most significant monetary contribution of the Mughals was to bring about uniformity and consolidation of the system of coinage throughout the Empire. The system lasted long after the Mughal Empire was effectively no more. The system of tri-metalism which came to characterise Mughal coinage was largely the creation, not of the Mughals but of Sher Shah Suri (1540 to 1545 AD), an Afghan, who ruled for a brief time in Delhi. Sher Shah issued a coin of silver which was termed the Rupiya. This weighed 178 grains and was the precursor of the modern rupee. It remained largely unchanged till the early 20th Century. Together with the silver Rupiya were issued gold coins called the Mohur weighing 169 grains and copper coins called Dam. Where coin designs and minting techniques were concerned, Mughal Coinage reflected originality and innovative skills. Mughal coin designs came to maturity during the reign of the Grand Mughal, Akbar. Innovations like ornamentation of the background of the die with floral scrollwork were introduced. Jehangir took a personal interest in his coinage. The surviving gigantic coins, are amongst the largest issued in the world. The Zodiacal signs, portraits and literary verses and the excellent calligraphy that came to characterise his coins took Mughal Coinage to new heights. Coins of the Mughal Empire Mohur-Humayun One Rupee-Sher Shah Suri(Afghan) Mohur-Akbar Mohur-Aurangzeb Mohur-Farrukhsiyar The early years of Shah Jehan's reign brought forth a large variety of types; coin design was standardised towards the latter part of his reign. Aurangzeb, the last of the Grand Mughals was austere in his ways and orthodox in his beliefs. He did away with the Kalima, the Islamic Article of Faith from his coins, and the format of coins was standardised to incorporate the name of the ruler, the mint and the date of issue.

Medieval India Coinage

Medieval India Coinage Map of Medieval India, Courtesy Government of India The Arabs conquered Sindh in 712 AD and ruled it as a province of the Caliphate. By the 9th Century AD, provincial governors established independent rule and struck their own coins. However, it was with the emergence of Turkish Sultans of Delhi in the 12th Century that a decisive break was made with the past and the existing motifs were gradually replaced by Islamic devices, largely calligraphy. The unit of account came to be consolidated and was referred to as the 'tanka' with the 'jittals' as the smaller value coins. With the Delhi Sultanate (1206-1526 AD) came the attempt at standardisation. This period was marked by a considerable expansion of the money economy. Coins were struck in gold, silver and copper. In the monetary system, the equation between gold and silver was probably at 1:10. The Khilji rulers issued coins in abundance with grandiloquent titles (Ala-ud-din Khilji struck coins assuming the title 'Sikandar al Sani', the second Alexander) as well as honorific epithets for mints (the Delhi mint bore titles 'Hazrat Dar-al-Khilafat, etc.). Description Obverse Reverse Coin of Nasiru-d-din Mahmud 1246 - 1266 AD Coin of Ghiyasu-d-din Balban 1266 - 1287 AD Coins of the Delhi Sultanate

Ancient India Coinage

Ancient India Coinage Punch Marked Coins The Indus valley civilisation of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa dates back between 2500 BC and 1750 BC. There, however, is no consensus on whether the seals excavated from the sites were in fact coins. Seals of Mohenjo-Daro The first documented coinage is deemed to start with 'Punch Marked' coins issued between the 7th-6th century BC and 1st century AD. These coins are called 'punch-marked' coins because of their manufacturing technique. Mostly made of silver, these bear symbols, each of which was punched on the coin with a separate punch. Punch Marked Coin, Silver Bentbar Issued initially by merchant Guilds and later by States, the coins represented a trade currency belonging to a period of intensive trade activity and urban development. They are broadly classified into two periods : the first period (attributed to the Janapadas or small local states) and the second period (attributed to the Imperial Mauryan period). The motifs found on these coins were mostly drawn from nature like the sun, various animal motifs, trees, hills etc. and some were geometrical symbols. Description Obverse Reverse Seven Symbols Five Symbols Five Symbols Silver Punchmarked Coins Representative Symbols appearing on Punch Marked Coins Description Coin Asmaka Janapada Imperial Series Imperial Series Imperial Series Imperial Punch Marked Coins