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COINS OF INDIA, PAKISTAN, NEPAL

& BHUTAN
FROM ANCIENT TIMES TO THE
PRESENT
EARLY ANCIENT SILVER COIN FROM INDIA

India developed some of the world's earliest coins sometime around 600BC. The coins
were made by taking a flat, though often irregularly shaped, piece of silver, cutting it to
the proper weight, then applying a series of punches to the front of it, indicating where
and when it was made. The punches covered a wide variety of symbols. As the coin
circulated, additional punches were sometimes put on the back, verifying the weight and
fineness of the coin. The coin, known as the Punchmarked Karshapana, continued to be
issued until about the second century BC. Today the coin is one of the least expensive
early coins available, and represents one of the earliest approaches to the development of
coinage.
Item IN-PUNCH INDIA SILVER PUNCHMARKED KARSHAPANA 5th-2nd
Century BC VG $8.50
Item IN-PUNCHx5 5 DIFFERENT ANCIENT INDIAN SILVER PUNCHMARKED
KARSHAPANA COINS, VG $39.50

BRONZE COINS OF THE KUSHAN EMPIRE

The Kushan Empire covered much what is now Afghanistan, Pakistan and
Northern India from about the first to the third century AD. They grew wealthy
controlling trade centers on the Silk Road and on the Indus River and incorporated
elements of the Greek, Roman, Chinese, Persian, Indian and other cultures into their
lives. Their coins incorporate Greek designs and often use a corrupted Greek alphabet in
the legends. Kujula Kadphises united a loose confederation of tribes to form the Kushan
Empire in about 30AD. He further expanded the Empire until his death in 80AD. This
bronze tetradrachm of Kujula Kadphises features a Greek style diademed head on
the obverse and Hercules with a club or another Greek deity on the reverse. The coin
grades Good to Fine. We also have well made bronze Tetradrachms of Kushan king
“Soter Megas”. The title “Soter Megas” means Great Savior. The coin, which grades
VG to Fine, shows the Greek style diademed bust of the king on one side, and the king on
horseback on the other. The king thought of himself as being so great, he did not need to
put his actual name on the coin. Until quite recently however, scholars did not know who
really was! It is now believed that he is Vima Takha who succeeded Kujula

Kadphises, ruling from 80AD to 105AD. He expanded his empire into

what is now Pakistan. We also have a number of worn, unidentified Kushan thick bronze
Tetradrachms and bronze Drachms I don’t have the time to work these up. Most coins
feature the king standing on one side and a Greek, Indian or other deity on the other. The
unidentified coins date from about 105 to 225AD and grade Poor to Good.
Item KUJULA KUSHAN BRONZE TETRADRACHM, KUJULA KADPHISES 30-
80AD G-F. $9.75
Item SOTER KUSHAN BRONZE TETRADRACHM, SOTER MEGAS 80-105AD
VG-F $9.75
Item KUSHx1 ONE UNIDENTIFIED KUSHAN BRONZE COIN ca105-225AD,
Poor-Good $4.75
Item KUSHx10 TEN UNIDENTIFIED KUSHAN BRONZE COINS ca105-225,
Poor-Good $25.00
ANCIENT SILVER PORTRAIT DRACHM

This ancient silver portrait drachm was struck by Skanda-gupta,

who ruled the Gupta Empire from 455 to about 485AD. The Empire was one of the most
famous and prosperous Hindu dynasties of India. The name Skanda is derived from the
name Alexander the Great who had marched into India some 700 years earlier. Skanda
was not as successful against his enemies as his namesake, and lost much of his empire to
the invading Huns (Hepthalites). The coin grades Good to Very Good and has a very
crude portrait of the Emperor on the obverse. The reverse has legends and symbols.
Item IN-GUPTA SILVER DRACHM OF SKANDA-GUPTA 455-485AD G-VG
$7.50

SILVER DRACHM OF THE MAITRAKAS OF

VALABHI

This medieval silver Drachm is the only coin issued by the Maitrakas of
Valabhi. Senepati Bhatarka, a General in the Gupta army, took advantage of the
weakening Gupta Empire. In 470 AD he set up an independent kingdom in Saurashtra,
located on the Arabian Sea in western India. His capital city of Valabhi (now Vala)
became a major center for both religious and secular studies. Though Maitrakas dynasty
ruled for nearly 300 years, their coins remained unchanged. The coins, modeled after the
Gupta Drachm, have a crude bust of Senepati Bhatarka on the front and a legend and a
trident on the reverse. The crudely made coins are about 10mm in diameter and are often
struck partially off-center. It is a remarkably affordable medieval silver coin.
Item IN-MAINT SILVER DRACHM OF MAITRAKAS OF VALABHI MN4897+
470-767AD $6.00

MEDIEVAL JITAL OF KANGRA

 With the closing of vital trade routes due to the Mongol invasion of
Afghanistan, this remote Himalayan town in India developed into a major trading center
in the 13th Century, supplying horses to Northern India. These small (12mm) copper
Jitals of Kangra are well struck, however are very crudely engraved. The design, based
on coins that had been in use for centuries, features a very crude Brahma Bull on one
side, and a horseman on the other. The coins were made from about 1220 to 1300 AD.
Item IN-KANGRA KANGRA JITAL, ca. 1220-1300AD F-crude $6.00

MEDIEVAL HORSE COIN OF PAKISTAN

This billon (highly debased silver) jital was struck by
Nasir al din Mohammed who ruled Sind from 1249 to
1260AD. Sind is located in south-eastern Pakistan. Sind
was once the center of the ancient Indus Valley
civilizations. At the time the coin was struck, it was on
the edges of competing empires, so was able to re-
establish its own independence. The coin is highly
unusual for the period in that it has a clear pictorial design
featuring a horse. Some theorize that this signifies the
resurgence in the trade of war horses that had thrived in
the area in earlier years before the invasion of Ghenghiz
Khan.
Item IN-SIND SIND HORSE JITAL 1249-60AD (A1819) VF $6.00

DELHI SULTAN ALAUDDIN MOHAMMED II

‘Ala al-din (Alauddin) Mohammed II Khaljis was the favorite

nephew of Sultan Firoz II. To repay his Uncle’s kindness, he murdered his Uncle and his
son in order to claim the throne of the Delhi Sultans of India in 1296AD. He plundered
the wealth of his nobles and conquered neighboring territories. He ruthlessly turned back
repeated Mongol invasions, saving India from Mongol domination. This billon (debased
silver) Jital (2 Gani) was issued between 1296 and 1316AD.
Item IN-DELHI-M2 DELHI SULTANS, MOHAMMED II 1296-1317 JITAL, FINE
$6.00
BRASS TANKA OF DELHI SULTAN MUHAMMAD
III

Muhammad III bin Tughluq ruled much of India from 1325 to 1351AD. He was
a scholar, calligrapher and an innovative monarch. Unfortunately he did not always
consider the consequences of his innovations. Vast amounts of his treasury was spent
trying to expand and consolidate his realm. This only encouraged numerous revolts
throughout his realm. He forcibly moved his entire capital and all its inhabitants from
Delhi to a more central location in the Deccan of central India. Unfortunately there was
insufficient water to support the population, and the capital was returned to Delhi two
years later, with great suffering and loss of life of the citizens. About 1330AD he tried to
replace the silver Tanka with this brass Tanka, in an effort to boost his treasury. The
brass Tanka has beautiful calligraphy on both sides, with legends to encourage its citizens
to accept the debased currency. His unhappy citizens, forced to accept this token coinage,
soon started to counterfeit them in vast numbers. Foreign traders would not accept the
brass Tankas Within a few years he was forced to return to the silver Tanka, redeeming
both real and fake brass Tankas at a great cost to his treasury. It is reported that a
“mountain” of these brass Tankas remained lying outside the sultanate’s treasuries for
over a century. The coins grade Fine to Very Fine with some green patina.
Item IN-AE-TANK INDIA, MUHAMMAD III 1325-51AD BRASS TANKA, F-VF
$9.75

COINS OF THE INDIAN PRINCELY STATES

Though the British controlled most of India prior to its independence in 1947, many of
the Indian states retained their right to issue coins. Most coins could only be used within
the state they were issued and there was little standardization of the coins or
denominations issued from state to state. The result was a bewildering array of coins,
many of which have limited mintages. We have assembled a collection of coins from
nine different states. These collections have proved very popular. Because of the
difficulty in obtining coins of the Indian States, we sometimes have to vary the exact
coins included in the set. The latest group of sets we made up included are a square Paisa
from Bahawalpur, 1/4 Anna of Gwalior that pictures the Maharajah, a 1/4 Anna from
Indore that pictures a bull, a paisa from Jodhpur struck during World War II, a coin from
Kutch that was issued with a center hole, an eight-sided 1 Anna from Mewar, a Dokdo
from Nawanagar that was struck from about 1570 to 1894 with virtually no change in the
design, a 1 Pice coin from Tonk and a tiny 19th century Travencore 1 Cash that pictures a
six-pointed star in a circle. It is a fascinating collection from a fascinating and ancient
country. The coins generally grade Fine to Very Fine. An identification guide is
included with each set. The exact coins included in the set may vary, depending upon
what we have in stock at the time your order is received.
Item BK-IN-STATECOL9 COLLECTION OF 9 DIFFERENT INDIAN NATIVE
STATE COINS$22.95

SCARCE PORTUGUESE INDIA COIN

Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama first visited India in 1498. Portugal was the first
European nation to establish colonies in India, and for many years enjoyed a profitable
monopoly on European trade with India. With the coming of the British and Dutch in the
17th century, Portuguese power declined, until all that was left were three minor outposts
on the west coast of India; Goa, Damao and Diu. In 1961, after years of preaching non-
violence, India invaded and forcibly annexed these last remaining outposts. This 1961
copper 10 Centavos is the last coin ever issued by Portuguese India. It is in Uncirculated
condition. The coin features the arms of Portuguese India on one side and the
denomination on the other.
Item PORTIN-30 PORTUGUESE INDIA 10 CENTAVOS 1961 KM30 UNC. $2.50

TINY GOLD COIN FROM DUTCH INDIA

This tiny gold fannam is one of the least expensive coins of Dutch India. The
undated coin was struck by the Dutch Indian mint in Tuticorin between about 1785 and
1792. Tuticorin was taken over by the Portuguese in 1548, captured by the Dutch in
1658 and ceded to the British in 1795. The coin is only about 7mm in diameter. One side
has a stylized portrait of the Hindu goddess Kali. The other side has a degenerated
Nagari legend. The tiny coin was popular as it allowed the poor to hoard gold and
travelers could hide the coins in their mouth. If attacked, a traveler could swallow the
coins, then retrieve them a day or so later
Item DUTCHIN-48 DUTCH INDIA GOLD FANNAM KM48 1785-92 VF $39.50
INDIA’S FIRST DECIMAL COINS INCLUDES ODD
SHAPES

India introduced their first decimal coins in 1957. The coins were initially called Naye
Paise, or new Paise, to distinguish them from the previous coins. In order to aid the many
blind in the country, each coin was distinctly different. This six coin set includes the
round 1 Naye Paisa, scalloped edge 2 Naye Paisa, the square 5 Naye Paise, the scalloped
edge 10 Naye Paisa, the round 25 Naye Paise, all dated 1957, and the round 50 Naye
Paise dated 1960, its first year of issue. The coins have the denomination on one side and
the lion capital from the Sarnath pillar of Ashoka. The Ashoka lion capital was erected
around 250BC and now serves as the national emblem of India. All 6 coins are
Uncirculated.
Item IN-SET6 INDIA 6 COIN SET 1-50 NAYE PAISE, 1957-60 UNC $5.75

MODERN INDIAN COIN SET INCLUDES ODD

SHAPES

This set of ten recent coins of India includes 6 odd-shaped coins. Included is the 11-
sided 2002 2 Rupee features a map of India. The 2001 1 Rupee is struck in stainless
steel. The 1999 50 Paisa features the Parliament building and a map of India. A
rhinoceros is featured on the 1994 25 paise. The aluminum 1988 20 Paisa coin is a siven
sided coin. The 1988 10 paisa is also struck in stainless steel. The square 5 Paisa is dated
1993. The 1971 3 Paisa coin is a six sided coin. The 1976 2 Paisa has scallopped edges.
The 1972 1 Paisa is square. Because of their low purchasing power and the high cost of
production, the lower four denominations are no longer issued and are increasingly
difficult to get. The The reverse of the coins features three lions from the ancient Pillar
of Asoka, a sandstone pillar from the third century BC. It is an interesting set that
includes a variety of unusual shapes.
Item S-IN-SET10INDIA 10 COIN SET 1 Paisa - 2 Rupees 1971-2002 UNC.$4.95
PAKISTAN COIN SET

This 10 coin set from Pakistan includes a 2003 10 Rupee picturing flowers, 2004 5
Rupees, 2006 2 Rupees picturing a mosque and the 2006 1 Rupee picturing the nations
founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Also included is the 50 Paisa, 25 Paisa, scalloped 10
Paisa, square 5 Paisa, 2 Paisa and 1 Paisa dating from the 1970’s to the 1990’s. All coins
are Uncirculated, though they may be poorly toned or poorly struck.
Item S-PK-SET10PAKISTAN 10 COIN SET 1971-2006, UNC. $12.00

FIRST COIN OF NEPAL

These rarely seen, early, copper 1 Pana coins are the first coins of Nepal. They
bear the legend “Sri Mananka”. They were originally thought to have been issued by king
Manadeva I between 464 to 497AD. More recent research places them in the reign of
king Sivadeva I, who reigned from 576 to 605AD. The thick coins are approximately 24
to 26mm in diameter. They picture a standing lion with a raised paw on one side and a
seated female deity on the other.
Item NP-1 NEPAL COPPER 1 PANA 576-605AD VG-crude $35.00

FIRST COINS OF BHUTAN - THE SILVER AND

COPPER DEB RUPEES

The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is called the

“Dragon Kingdom”. It was established as a priestly monarchy in 1652. For many years
it used coins from nearby the nearby Indian state of Cooch Behar. It started to strike its
own coins about 1790, after the British East India Company closed the Cooch Behar
mint. The undated coins, denominated as Deb (1/2) Rupees, were originally good silver;
however by about 1840 the coins became heavily alloyed with copper. The copper Deb
Rupees continued to be struck until about 1910. The Deb Rupee was the only
denomination struck by Bhutan until the 20th century. Though the basic design remained
unchanged, there are numerous varieties, making a fascinating collecting area.
Item BT-AR BHUTAN SILVER DEB (1/2) RUPEE circa 1790-1840 VF $18.50
Item BT-ARx5 5 of the above BHUTAN SILVER 1/2 RUPEE COINS VF $75.00
Item BT-AE BHUTAN COPPER DEB (1/2) RUPEE circa 1835-1910 VF $5.00
Item BT-AEx10 10 of the above BHUTAN COPPER 1/2 RUPEE COINS VF $40.00

THE RAMATANKA (INDIAN TEMPLE TOKEN)

This crudely made brass tokens pictures the Gods Rama and Laksmana
standing on one side of the coin. The other side shows Rama and Sita seated on a throne,
along the monkey god Hanuman. The tokens have a false date, making some believe they
are quite old. They were made during the 20th century and sold in Hindu temples
throughout India.
Item IN-TT INDIA TEMPLE TOKEN$3.75
Item IN-TTx5 5 OF THE ABOVE INDIAN TEMPLE TOKENS (all the same type)
$14.95

FOR RELATED COINS OF THIS AREA PLEASE

SEE:
AFGHANISTAN COIN & CURRENCY PAGE
RARE SILVER COIN OF MANGUBARNI
SRI LANKA COIN SET INCLUDES NEW ISSUES & BIMETAL
THE UNUSUAL TIBET SILVER RUPEE
THE BURMESE PEACOCK RUPEE

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 scale with which to judge image sizes

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Phone 1 805 489 8045 Fax 1 805 299 1818
email: orders@joelscoins.com
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