Mughal Coins Of India

                       Marudhar Arts

The period of Mughal rule in India left its indelible mark on not only the arts and culture of the land, but also laid the foundations of an organized postal administration in India which led to the advent of the Indian Coins and Notes. From a parochial system of postal governance, there emerged an expansive system of distinct regional operations controlled by a centralized postal authority. This helped the common Samaritan to gain more cognizance and become aware of the Postal systems in the country which would lead a layman to buy and sell rare stamps of the erstwhile era.

Till early medieval period, postal communications was for exclusive sovereign usage spurred on by a military rationale. Initiated by the landmark postal reforms of Sher Shah Suri, the Mughal regime witnessed a gradual changeover to a communication mechanism merged with administrative restructuring providing a blueprint for rulers who ruled India after the Mughals leading to the arrival of stamps such as British India Stamps etc. Thus it was in the early 16th century, that a systemic synergized two-way communication system began operations on a routine basis. In introspection, the Mughal period spanning two centuries, kick-started the process of an organized postal system in India that was later emulate by the British people who used this as an inspiration for the Stamps of British India were later rolled out.

 Akbar also struck gold mohair’s which had a value of 10 and 12 rupiahs. He brought innovation in his coins He was the first Mogul emperor who issued fractional coins in gold, silver and copper. Silver rupiah coins were struck in three denominations, viz.. 1, 1/2 and 1/4. Of a rupiah. His copper coins in the denomination of 1/2 were known as nasfi. 1/4 as dam and 1/8 part as damn or damdi Akbar also struck heavy copper coins of 632 to 644 grains weight which were known as "Tanka" Inscription on these coins was simple The obverse of the coin carried only two words-"Tanka Akbari" and the reverse showed the llahi year. Fractional tanka coins in 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 and 1/16 denominations were popular.

 Akbar brought about a change in the shape of his coins. He issued gold, silver and copper coins in round, square, rectangular and mihrabi shapes. He was the only Mogul emperor who issued 26 types (varieties) of gold coins. Some popular gold coins to name are—Emperor. Rahas. Atmah. Binsat, Jugul, Lalejalali, Aftabi, llahi, Lale Jalahi. Adalgutka, Maherabi. Muini, Gird, Dhan, Salimi. Man, Samni, Kala. Rabi The Shahenshah gold coin weighed 102 tolas Most of these were commemorative coins His name was struck on Shahrukhi silver coins either with and without titles on the reverse, which read as Jalaluddin Muha.

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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 characterize 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 Rupiah. 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 Rupiah were issued gold coins called the Mohair 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 characterize his coins took Mogul coinage to new heights.

Akbar was one of the most prominent and prudent monarchs of the erstwhile Mogul epoch. He struck silver Shahrukhi copper coins similar to those issued by his predecessors. He also continued Sher Shah's silver rupiah coins. His gold coins weighing 11 mashas (about 170 grains) were known as "mohair". Silver Shahrukhis of 72 grains weight and silver rupiahs 198 grains in weight had a great circulation. His copper coins of 330 grains weight were known as "dam". 40 dams were equal to 1 silver rupiah and 9 rupiahs were equivalent to 1 mohair in value.

We have a vast repertoire of exotic and rare ancient coins that are featured on the website and are in our possession. To know more about these cisterns of opulent legacies, please visit our website www.marudhararts.com or call us at 080-65329800

Historical & Commemorative Medal

Marudhar Arts

           Marudhar Arts

Welcome to Marudhararts.com describing the collection of Historical and Commemorative Medals.  We have been collecting medals for more than forty years now, where my father,Mr Prem Ratan Maru, introduced me to this interesting field. For this I am greatly indebted and gratified to him.

My choice of pieces to collect was governed by what I considered to be their artistic value and secondarily, but importantly, by their historical significance.  Accordingly, you will find in this collection  medals from a number of countries and several artistic and historic periods, ranging from the 16th through the 19th centuries.  This diversity  made decisions concerning the organization and presentation of the medals particularly difficult. 

For I wished to present the collection both from an artistic perspective, where the pieces would be listed by artistic style and medallist, and from an historical prospective, where medals of similar topics or historical events would be shown together.  This proved to be an impossible task.  Therefore, We as a numismatic conglomerate decided on  not totally satisfying the compromise of  presenting the collection by the country in which the medallist primarily worked, rather than by  the medal's topic, with subcategories arranged in as chronological an order as feasible, either by medallist or by historical event. 

For each country or medallist there are thumbnails showing the medals in the collection.  From this site high resolution images and a brief description of the medals may be reached.  I have also included a short biographical sketch of the medallists of each country.  The  object of the descriptions was to try, insofar as I was able,  to put the medal into an historical context.  To expand on the historical context of the medal, to relevant  web sites have been provided. 

 In many cases, these  historical commentaries are still incomplete and should be considered as 'a work in progress'.  In some cases I have also included paintings and other works of art relevant to the medal entries by way of LINKS to web sites devoted to art, including those of some of the great art museums.  This was an attempt  not only to increase the interest of the site but also to put the Art of the Medal into the general context of Art.

The descriptions and explanations of the medals have been taken from standard reference sources and from information found in texts and various discourses and catalogues on medals cited in the BIBLIOGRAPHY.  I have also borrowed heavily from other web sites,  particularly from an excellent compendium on World History by renowned connoisseurs and authors on the subject matter.  To the authors of these works I am deeply indebted.

The biographical sketches cited for the medallists in this web site were excerpted largely from Forrer's comprehensive Biographical Dictionary of Medallists. The descriptions and interpretations of the reverses of the medals that relate to English history were taken in large measure from Edward Hawkins' classic two volume book, Medallic Illustrations of the History of Great Britain and Ireland to the Death of George II, often verbatim, and from Medallic History of England printed by Wilson and Co. in 1802.

I am gratefully indebted to Krause Publications along with whom the South Asian Coinage Books was published in the year 2013 in which a detailed elucidation on different types of medallions and commemorative tokens of appreciation has been discussed in elaboration.

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We have a vast repertoire of exotic and rare ancient commemorative medallions that are featured on the website and are in our possession. To know more about these cisterns of opulent legacies, please visit our website www.marudhararts.com or call us at 080-65329800.

Error Coins – A Valuable Guide

                         

                 Marudhar Arts

An error coin is a coin that was manufactured incorrectly by a mint. Many times called mint errors, error coins come in scores of "shapes, sizes and types." The sheer variety of minted errors adds excitement and uniqueness in collecting them.

Mint-made errors are errors in a coin made by the mint during the minting process. Mint error coins can be the result of deterioration of the minting equipment, accidents or malfunctions during the minting process, or intentional interventions by mint personnel.

Accidental error coins are perhaps the most numerous and in modern minting are usually very rare, making them valuable to numismatists. Intentional intervention by mint personnel does not necessarily include a deliberate attempt to create an error, but usually involves an action intended to improve quality that miscarries and creates error coins instead. Errors can occur during three different stages of the coining process: the preparing of the planchets, the preparing of the dies, and the striking of the coin.

Authentic error coins should not be confused with coins that have incurred damage after being minted, which is known as post-mint damage or post-strike damage.

HOW ARE ERRORS MADE WHEN COINS ARE STRUCK

To prepare planchets on which to strike coins, a mint first purchases strips of metal of the correct composition of the coin to be produced. These strips are fed through a blanking machine that cuts them into the metal disks on which the coins are struck, which are known as blanks or planchets. The shape of the coin, whether it be circular, rectangular, or any other shape, is determined by the manner in which the blanking machine shapes the planchets.

At this stage, the blanks are type-1 blanks. Next, these type-1 blanks go into an upending mill, which gives the blanks an upended rim or upset rim, which is where the rim becomes slightly raised and rounds off to the center of the planchet. Planchets with upended rims are called type-2 planchets.

A planchet that escapes getting struck (with or without upending) is known as a blank planchet or blank. Depending on the denomination or the issue, type-2 blanks may be worth more than, less than, or the same as, a type-1 blank.

Clipped planchet

Occasionally, a misfeed can occur where the strip of metal is not fed through the blanking machine far enough. When this happens, the punches strike an area of the strip which overlaps the hole left by the previous strike. The result is a blank with a piece missing, which is called a clipped planchet, which may be straight, curved, ragged, or elliptical.

Lamination flaw

A lamination flaw is a planchet defect originating when a portion of the coin metal separates from itself due to impurities or internal stresses. Lamination flaws occur primarily when foreign materials or gas oxide become trapped within the planchet.

Hub and die errors

To produce coins, a mint needs equipment to strike them. They use a steel rod to imprint the coin's design in it with a hub bearing a relief image of the design.

Hub and die errors are collectively known as varieties. If damage or some form of alteration is made to a hub or die, it is classified a variety. Modern coins are still released with hub and die errors, mainly because the defects are usually too small to be seen with the naked eye. A few exceptions exist, where the dies are used despite producing easily visible flaws. The 1955 Lincoln cent is an example.

Fundamental die-setting error

A fundamental die-setting error occurs when the die is not set as the producers intended. For example, in April 2013 the Central Bank of Ireland issued a silver €10 commemorative coin in honor of James Joyce that misquoted a famous line from his masterwork Ulysses despite being warned on at least two occasions by the Department of Finance over difficulties with copyright and design.

Missing mintmark

A missing mintmark error occurs when the mintmark is rendered invisible by one of three identified ways. If the mintmark on the die is filled, plugging up the cavity into which the planchet's metal flows under the pressure of the strike; the mintmark will be weak or invisible.

 The 1922 no-"D"-mintmark Lincoln cents are results of this phenomenon. This also can occur if the mint simply does not place a mintmark on the coin. A recent example in this category is the 1982 release of about 15,000 Roosevelt dimes without the "P" mintmark.

Additionally, if the mintmark on the die is filled, the mintmark will be missing. Missing mintmarks can be caused by equipment deterioration, accidents or malfunctions, or intentional intervention.

Die crack

A coin from a defective die shows a jagged, raised line on its surface, caused by a crack in the die used to strike the planchet. In U.S. coinage, many coins from the Morgan dollar series show slight die cracks.

Die break

Coins sometimes show a raised, unstruck area resulting from a break in the die, which is known as a cud mark if it touches the rim.

Die chip

If part of the die chips out, showing as a raised, unstruck area on the coin, it is called a chip.

Die clash

A die clash occurs when the obverse and reverse dies are damaged upon striking each other because a planchet is not between them. Due to the tremendous pressure used, the parts of the image of one die may be impressed on the other. When planchets are then fed between them, the resulting coins receive the distorted image. A well-known example is the "Bugs Bunny" Franklin half dollar of 1955, where part of the eagle's wing from the reverse gives Franklin the image of protruding teeth.

Over date

In the past, it was a common practice for a mint to use a certain die until it broke. As some dies would last for multiple years, a figure would be punched over the old date. For 19th-century coins, it is difficult to call an over date an "error", since it resulted from intentional recycling of the die. Through a similar historical process, mintmarks have been over stamped.

Over mintmark

An over mintmark occurs when a mintmark is punched into a die and another mintmark punch with a different letter on it is repunched over it. A well-known example is the 1900 Morgan silver dollar, when reverse dies with "CC" below the eagle were sent from the Carson City Mint to the New Orleans Mint, where they were given an "O". A similar case occurred in 1938, when a reverse die for the buffalo nickel was made for the San Francisco Mint, because that year only, the Denver Mint made these coins with a "D" punched over the "S".

Wrong-sized mintmark

On rare occasions, the wrong mintmark puncheon has been used on a die, giving a letter obviously too small. (This is different from planned changes in letter shapes or sizes, which has occurred several times in recent coinage history.) The best known example may be the 1945-S "Micro S" Mercury dime, when the mint used an old puncheon intended for Philippines coins. A much rarer example is the 1892-O "Micro O" Barber half dollar, which may have come about from the brief use of a mintmark puncheon intended for the quarter.[9] Exactly the same error occurred with the 1905-O Barber dime, although numerous examples are known of this mistake.

Re punched date

A re punched date occurs when a date or date digit is punched twice into the die with a misalignment between punching. This can be either accidental or intentional.

Re punched mintmark

A die technician takes a punch, a small steel rod with the mintmark letter on it, positions the punch where the mintmark is supposed to go on the die, and punches it into the die with a hammer. If the image is not strong enough, he will position the punch on the mintmark and punch it a second time. If a misalignment occurs between the first and second images, it will produce doubling of the mintmark, known as a re punched mintmark. A re punched mintmark can result accidentally or intentionally.

Strike errors

Strike errors occur when the planchet is struck. It is a fault in the manufacturing process rather than in either the die or the planchet. Numismatists often prize strike-error coins over perfectly struck examples, which tend to be more common, but less highly than die-error coins, which are usually rarer, making them valuable.

Broad strike

A standard type of strike error is a broad strike, where the rim image is not struck into the coin's edge because the collar die was missing. Broad strike errors are produced when the collar die (the circular die surrounding the lower die) malfunctions. The collar die normally applies the edge device (reeded edge, plain edge) and prevents the metal of the coin from flowing outside the confines of the die. When the collar is prevented from working properly during striking, it may rest below the surface of the anvil die. All denominations of U.S. coins with a broad strike will have a plain edge.

Brockage

A brockage is when a mirror image of a coin is struck on both sides of the planchet. A brockage error typically occurs in the following way: A coin is properly stamped on at least one side, but is not properly ejected. A new planchet is fed, but the former coin overlaps the new blank planchet. When the die strikes the coins, a mirror image of the first coin is sunk into the next coin. The result is an incuse mirror image pressed into the blank planchet. The initial coin may or may not become a capped die. Most brockages are partial and only on one side, but full brockages, where the coins are completely overlapping, are the most desirable.

Multiple strikes

A multiple strike, also referred to as double exposure, occurs when the coin has an additional image on one side from being struck again, off center. The result is sometimes mistaken as being a "doubled die".

Off center

An off-center coin is produced when the coin is struck once, albeit off center. Unlike a broad strike, the punch is not in the center of the coin, but rather the edge. This results in a coin which is not circular. The coin gives a freakish appearance as a result, and various amounts of blank planchet space are visible. The coins can vary in value because of how far off center they are struck, although coins with full dates are more desirable than coins without a date or missing digits.

Struck on wrong planchet

Sometimes mistakenly classified as a planchet error, a coin struck on an incorrect planchet occurs when mismatched planchets are fed into a coin-stamping press. This result in a coin that has been stamped with a design intended for a differently sized coin. The resulting errors are prized by collectors, though they are usually caught during the manufacturing process and destroyed.

A wrong planchet most often occurs when a denomination is struck on a planchet of a different denomination. Some examples include cents struck on dime planchets, nickels on cent planchets, or quarters on dime planchets. Sacagawea dollars have been reported with statehood quarter designs on the reverse. This type of error is called a mule and many more different kinds of mules, too many to list, are found.

Wrong-planchet errors may also occur when the composition of the coin changes. Such situations generally arise when the mint has decided to change the alloy or plating of the coin in the new coinage year, but a few planchets from the previous year—and thus of the previous composition—have yet to be struck. Should the dies be changed for the New Year while the old planchets are awaiting striking and not removed, coins using the old composition will be struck with the new year's date. Such coins are rare and often highly valued by collectors, as with the 1943 copper cents and 1944 steel cents.

A much rarer error is a denomination struck on a foreign planchet. This did occur occasionally with United States (and before that American colonial) coinage in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, and then very rarely in the 20th century.

Struck through

A "struck-through" coin is made when an object is set to rest on a planchet before striking. When the dies strike the coin, the object's impression is pressed into the surface of the coin, producing a glaring mark on the surface of the coin. Common examples include staples and cloth. Another good example of a struck-through impression is when die grease fills the crevices of the die, so when the coin is struck, it causes a weak strike, and gives a smudged appearance.

A great example of such an error occurred in 1922, when only the Denver mint struck Lincoln cents. The dies were so covered in grease, because the mint had to speed up production, that the mintmark was obscured and therefore either nonexistent or weakened on the 1922 cents. These are very popular with collectors.

Mated pair or set

A collection of two or more coins struck at the same time or during successive strikes on one or more dies, these coins with the resulting errors are related to one another, fitting together as a set.All brockages, indents, and capped die strikes have a corresponding coin, but are rarely found together. A single coin of the set may be discovered by mint staff during quality control and removed, or the coins may be separated into different lots to be distributed separately into circulation.

Numismatic value of error coins

Most error coins demand a premium when sold, if they are modern coins, dependent upon the rarity of the type of error, as well as the rarity of that type of error on a particular denomination. Over dates, particularly of 20th-century coins, are in demand, but other errors may be very minor or of interest only to specialists. The value of error coins has been subject to much debate, and the value is usually determined between the dealer and the collector. Conversely, errors on ancient, medieval, and higher-value coins are usually detrimental to the coin's numismatic value.

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We have a colossalrepertoire of Error coins in Impeccable condition that are featured on thewebsite and are in our possession. To know more about these cisterns of opulentlegacies, please visit our website www.marudhararts.com or call us at080-65329800.

Coins Of European Colonies

                              Marudhar Arts

 INTRODUCTION
http://marudhararts.com/Since the beginning of time, European merchants have made change in cents clad in copper-plated steel or an alloy called Nordic gold, as well as in Euros, which are shiny, bimetal coins. But it wasn’t too long ago that travelers visiting the continent would return home with their pockets filled with loose change of seemingly countless sizes and denominations.

COINS OF UNITED KINGDOM
One can still experience that with a visit to Great Britain, where pence and pounds still change hands, even though the island nation is a member of the European Union. Historically, British subjects have paid for items with everything from tiny farthings to larger guineas and crowns. Coins from the Early Victorian/Georgian Times to the present commemorative coins are renowned because of the fame the British Empire has garnered and the opulence of its history.
COINS OF GERMANY

The history of German coinage is no less rich. Collected coins include those minted by the German states prior to and immediately following the unification of the states into an empire in 1871; coins circulated between World Wars I and II; and the separate monetary systems that were established after 1949, when Germany was divided into eastern and western nations.

COINS OF FRANCE
France’s modern-day decimal monetary system dates 1795, shortly after the French Revolution. Some gold francs of the early 1800s featured the bust of Napoleon, who ruled for a decade until 1814.

RENOWNED COINS OF SPAIN

One of the world’s most storied coins is the Spanish real, which was Spain’s denomination at the height of the nation’s dominance as a world power in the 16th century. In fact, real’s were so widespread and prevalent in the New World that they were one of the most common forms of currency in the U.S colonies, and were traded as legal tender throughout the new nation in the early years of the United States.
The first coin to be called a Swiss franc was a silver, 10-batzen coin minted by the Bern Canton (state) in 1757. By the middle of the 19th century, some 860 varieties of coins were circulating in Switzerland, minted by Swiss Cantons, cities, and religious organizations, although the majority of the coins used for goods and services in the landlocked nation were foreign.
COINS OF ITALY

Of course, the history of coinage in the West all but began in Italy, where ancient Roman coins were struck beginning in roughly the year 500 BCE. By the middle Ages, the florin, named for its origins in the Republic of Florence, became an important trading coin throughout Europe.
Meanwhile, the Papal States circulated the scudo, which was worth 100 baiocchi. In 1871 the states became a part of Italy, but the scudo had been scuttled in 1866, replaced by the Italian lira (equal to 100 centesimi).
Marudhar Arts is hosting an Exclusive Coinage Auction which is now live on its website – www.marudhararts.com(Auction No 23)
We have a colossal repertoire of Exotic European Colony Coins in Impeccable condition that are featured on the website and are in our possession. To know more about these cisterns of opulent legacies, please visit our website www.marudhararts.com or call us at 080-65329800.

British India Bank Notes

                     Marudhar Arts
British India Issues commence with the Paper Currency Act of 1861 which gave the Government the monopoly of note issue in India. The management of paper currency across the geographical expanse of the Indian sub-continent was a task of considerable proportions. Initially the Presidency Banks were appointed as agents to promote the circulation of these notes in view of their existing infrastructure. The Act of 1861 authorized the Presidency Banks to enter into agreements with the Secretary of State for becoming agents for the issue, payment and exchange of promissory notes of the Government of India. The problem of redemption of these notes over vast expanses of the Indian sub-continent led to the concept of 'Currency Circles', where these notes were legal tender.
These Currency Circles increased in number as the Government progressively took over the work. The agency agreements with the Presidency Banks were finally terminated in 1867. The Management of Paper Currency was subsequently, in turn, entrusted to the Mint Masters, the Accountant Generals and the Controller of Currency.
Victoria Portrait Series-First Series of Notes

The first set of British India notes were the 'Victoria Portrait' Series issued in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, and 1000. These were unifaced, carried two language panels and were printed on hand-molded paper manufactured at the Laverstock Paper Mills (Portals). The security features incorporated the watermark (GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, RUPEES, two signatures and wavy lines), the printed signature and the registration of the notes.
UNDERPRINT SERIES– SUBSEQUENT EDITION OF NOTES

The Victoria Portrait series was withdrawn in the wake of a spate of forgeries and replaced by the unifaced 'Under print Series' which were introduced in 1867. In deference to public demand, notes in the denomination of Rupees Five were introduced. Initially, notes were legally encashable only in the Currency Circle in which they were issued; however, between 1903 an 1911, notes of denomination 5, 10, 50 and 100 were 'universalized', i.e. were legally encashable outside the Currency Circle of Issue.
The Underprint Series notes were printed on moulded paper and carried 4 language panels (Green Series). The languages differed as per the currency circle of Issue. Language panels were increased to 8 in the Red Series. The improved security features included a wavy line watermark, the manufacturer's code in the watermark (the source of much confusion in dating), guilloche patterns and a colored under print.
This series remained largely unchanged till the introduction of the 'King's Portrait' series which commenced in 1923.

King's Portrait Series
Regular issues of this Series carrying the portrait of George V were introduced in May, 1923 on a Ten Rupee Note. The King's Portrait Motif continued as an integral feature of all Paper Money issues of British India. Government of India continued to issue currency notes till 1935 when the Reserve Bank of India took over the functions of the Controller of Currency. These notes were issued in denominations of Rs 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 10,000.
With the establishment of the Currency Note Press at Nasik in 1928, currency notes came to be progressively printed in India. By 1932 the Nasik Press was printing the entire spectrum of India currency notes. The improved security features were changed watermarks, intricate portrait designs and multicolored printing.

The first Central Office of the Reserve Bank of India
It began operations by taking over from the Government the functions hitherto performed by the Controller of Currency and from the Imperial Bank the management of Government Accounts and Public Debt. The existing Currency Offices in Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, Rangoon, Karachi, Lahore and Cawnpore became the branches of the Issue Department of the Bank. (It was not then considered necessary to have an office in Delhi.).
Section 22 of the RBI Act, 1934, empowered it to continue issuing Government of India notes till its own notes were ready for issue. The Central Board of the Bank recommended that the Bank notes retain the general size, appearance and design of the existing notes, albeit with modifications.
Notes with the portrait of Edward VIII were scheduled for release in the summer of '37. But Edward's heart had its reasons and his abdication, at levels mundane, delayed the Bank's issues to January 1938 when the first Five Rupee note was issued bearing the portrait of George VI.

The first Governor, Sir Osborne Smith did not sign any bank notes; the first Reserve Bank issues were signed by the second Governor, Sir James Taylor.
In August 1940, the one-rupee note was reintroduced, once again as a war time measure, as a Government note with the status of a rupee coin, in terms of the Currency Ordinance of 1940 (IV of 1940). The issuance of Rs 2 and 8 Anna’s was contemplated but Rs 2 was introduced instead on 3rd March, 1943.
The George VI series continued till 1947 and thereafter as a frozen series till 1950 when post independence notes were issued.
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We have a colossal repertoire of exotic and rare British India Bank Notes in Impeccable condition that are featured on the website and are in our possession. To know more about these cisterns of opulent legacies, please visit our website www.marudhararts.com or call us at 080-65329800.

Primitive Money in India

                              Marudhar Arts

Long Before Credit cards, cheques and paper currency came into existence, with the advent of civilization, man felt the need after the invention of fire and the wheel that there had to be a universal form of currency that had to be exchanged between the buyer and the seller which endorsed trade and commerce. The sense of possession one developed before trading the commodity and who gave the prerogative of ownership is not very lucid, but these exchanges eventually led to an acceptable form of prevalence which was deemed fine to all the parties concerned, be it the buyer or the seller or the intermediary involved. There were different kinds of commodities that were exchanged which often resulted in acrimony amidst the concerned parties sometimes, with one party feeling more often than not, he/she has been hoodwinked and swindled.

TYPES OF PRIMITIVE MONEYANIMAL BEADS

a)Copper Bead - Primitive Money - Depicted here are two heads of a bull joined in unison along with a hole for suspension, A Sacrosanct Shaivite relic of art of an archaic period from the river bed of Purna River near Achalapur.
b)Metal Beads of Makara Shape with suspension hole (600 bc) - Primarily used as an adornment/embellishment and perhaps used for barter as primitive money.
c)Animal Bone Bead - A Bone bead of animal insignia perhaps used for barter purposes as primitive money.
Apart from these there are also primitive animal beads in the forms of birds, tortoises and various other forms

STONE BEADS

a)Primitive Money - A Stone bead with double portrait with a suspension hole, made somewhere around 600 BC.Used as an embellishment and adorment,could be perhaps used as primitive money.

COPPER BEAD

a)Various shapes and sizes  of copper beads are extracted from the riverbed of Purna River near Achalpur
Weight - 1.3 gram * 2 no's , 0.75 gram , 6.30 gram
Dimension - 10.08 * 5.66 mm, 10.15 * 4.90 mm , 14.82 mm * 6.64 mm, 18.80 * 7.83 mm,In Impeccable condition and very fine quality.

                                                           TERRACOTA
a) Primitive Money, Post Gupta Sealing - 600 AD ,Gupta Brahmi Legend in the Center in an oval reading ,Jayakula
Weight : 2.05 grams
Dimension :  22. 52 mm
Immaculate Condition, extremely fine condition and very scarce/rare.

CAST BEAD

a)Primitive Money,Makara Bead - Made of soft stone from Ujjaini region around 600 BC
Obverse of the Bead : Profiled Bust facing with circular symbols
Reverse : Circular Symbols
Used as an embellishment/adornment. Perhaps also used for primitive money
Net Weight : 3.4 gram
Dimensions : 22.51 gram
Flawless Condition and Extremely Rare.

By Analyzing and Scrutinizing these opulent specimens of our rich heritage we can only marvel at the dexterity of the craftsmanship and the detailing that has gone through in making each one of them. It also shows the perception of people at that point of time and on what lines they were thinking. These memorable artefacts were also not clearly polished and that can be conspicuous from their rough edges and crude silhouette.

Marudhar Arts is conducting an exclusive auction where Beads of the primitive money are manifested for the exclusive perusal of our esteemed patrons.

To Know More About Primitive Indian Money and their respective beeds,please liaise with us on 080-65329800/mail us at director@marudhararts.com

British India Coins

                        Marudhar Arts

British trading posts in India were first established by the East India Company (EIC) early in the seventeenth century, which quickly evolved into larger colonies covering a significant part of the subcontinent. Early settlements or factories included Masulipatnam (1611) and Madras (1640) in the south, Surat (1612) in the west, and modern-day Kolkata (1698–99) in the east. These colonies gave rise to Madras Presidency, Bombay Presidency, and Bengal Presidency, and each Presidency had a separate coinage and monetary system. In 1835, the EIC adopted a unified system of coinage throughout all British possessions in India and the older Presidency system was discontinued.

Coinage issued after 1857 were under the authority of monarch as India became part of the British Empire. There was a transition period after India gained independence on 15 August 1947, and the first set of republic India coins were issued in 1950.
Coinage under the British can be divided into two periods:
East India Company (EIC) Prior to 1858
Imperial issues struck under direct authority of the crown.
The EIC issues can be further subdivided into two subcategories: the Presidency issues, which comprise separate Madras Presidency, Bombay Presidency, and Bengal Presidency issues
 Imperial issues bear obverse portraits of Queen Victoria (dated 1862–1901), Edward VII (dated 1903–1910), George V (dated 1911–1936), and George VI (dated 1938–1947)



EAST INDIA COINS

The English East India Company was granted a royal charter by Queen Elizabeth I which allowed trade monopoly with eastern countries including Sumatra, Java, and India. The territories governed by the East India Company were divided into three major administrative regions: Madras Presidency in the south, Bombay Presidency in the west, and Bengal Presidency in the east. Most of the north, however, for a long time continued to remain under the control of the Mughal emperor, and later, local rulers including the Marathas and Rajputs. Each of the three presidencies under East India Company governance issued their own coins until a unified coinage throughout all territories was introduced in 1835. Early presidency issues often imitated local issues and the Mughal design in order to gain wider acceptance by the native population.
Early European style coins were not popular outside jurisdiction of their respective settlements. In spite of having their own mints, the EIC either sent its bullion to the Mughal mints or forged the common coins of the contemporary Mughal Emperor. In 1717, the EIC obtained rights to strike coins in the name of the Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar on the island of Bombay.

GOLD COINAGE

Early gold coinage with Queen Victoria's crowned bust consisted of one mohur coins dated 1862. These coins were of the same weight (11.66 grams = one Tola) and fineness (0.9167) as the EIC issued mohurs. These coins, probably minted between 1866 to 1869, were trade coinage and not recognized as legal tender. A number of varieties (including proofs) are known with minor variations in the reverse and obverse decoration details. 'Victoria Queen' mohurs were also struck with the year 1875, as well as 1870 proof issues with a mature bust of Victoria.
In 1876, Victoria assumed the title of 'Empress of India' and, from 1877, the legend on the obverse of all coins was changed to 'Victoria Empress'. Gold mohurs with the new obverse legend were issued between 1877 and 1891. The mintage of these mohurs for any given date is relatively low, making them considerably scarce. Fractional values of the mohur (nominally valued at fifteen silver rupees) were also struck in denominations of ten and five rupees between 1870 and 1879. Except for a small number of ten and five rupees dated 1870, most of the fractional mohurs were proof issues. Varieties with both the younger and mature busts exist.

SILVER COINAGE

Currency and proof issues of the 1862 dated rupee coins have a number of different obverse and reverse die varieties, which are helpful in identification of the mint. The design of the coin, however, remained largely unchanged. From 1863 till 1875, the Bombay mint introduced an unusual system of dots to date the coins. These dots occur on the reverse below the date, above the word 'ONE', or in both positions. From 1874, this practice was halted and coins began to be dated continuously. From this development, it may be inferred that by this time the 'batta' system must have all but disappeared. As with all other Victoria coinage, the title on the obverse was changed from 'Victoria Queen' to 'Victoria Empress' in 1877. Calcutta mint coins usually carry no mint mark or an incused 'C' at the bottom of the reverse. Bombay mint issues are usually marked by a raised bead below the date, or a raised/incused 'B' in the top or bottom flower, with some exceptions. Rupee coins with Victoria's bust were minted until her death in 1901.
Fractional denominations of half rupee, quarter rupee, and two annas were also issued under Victoria's reign. The dot-dating system was not used for these denominations, and is unique to the 1862 dated Bombay rupees. Similar to the rupee coins, the title of Queen was changed to Empress in 1877. The Bombay and Calcutta issues have mint identification marks similar to the rupee issues (no mark or 'C' incused for Calcutta, bead or raised/incused 'B' for Bombay). Different reverse and obverse die varieties are known for each denomination.

Coins of the following denominations were issued:
• 1/12 Anna
• 1/2 Pice
• 1/4 Anna

• 1/2 Anna
• Anna
• 2 Annas
• 1/4 Rupee
• 4 Annas
• 8 Annas
• 1/2 Rupee
• One Rupee
• 5 Rupees (1/3 Mohur)
• 10 Rupees (2/3 Mohur)
• 15 Rupees (Mohur)
• 30 Rupees (2 Mohur)
• British Gold Sovereign, as an emergency war issue, in 1918.

There are many rare coins of this period which interests the coin collectors. The 1939 Rupee is the most expensive rupee, as after 1939 all silver coins effectively became less pure, due to the shortage of silver during the world war. The 1947 Rupee, half rupee, quarter rupee and Anna coins are also of special interest to collectors, since that was the last year British issued coins was circulated in India.
Marudhar Arts is Hosting An Exclusive Coin Auctions at www.marudhararts.com 
We have a vast repertoire of exotic and rare British India coins that are featured on the website and are in our possession. To know more about these cisterns of opulent legacies, please visit our website www.marudhararts.com or call us at 080-65329800.

Advantage of Collecting Coins & Stamps

                              Marudhar Arts

Coin collecting is one of the oldest hobbies, once practiced mostly by kings and the wealthy. Coin collecting thus came to be called the “king of hobbies” and the “hobby of kings.”

For anyone who is younger, it is a good idea to collect silver specifically because it is an opportunity to capitalize on an expanding market. With the price of silver down, it is a good time to buy and for beginners to begin investing in the hobby of coin collecting.

Others collect based on nostalgia related to events surrounding the date of a coin; still, others choose to collect commemorative coins.

In addition to potential financial or investment benefits instinctive predilection the most common reasons people collect coins include:

• Knowledge and learning
• Relaxation and stress reduction
• Personal pleasure (including appreciation of beauty, and pride of ownership)
• Social interaction with fellow collectors and others (i.e. the sharing of pleasure and knowledge)
• Competitive challenge
• Recognition by fellow collectors and perhaps even non-collectors
• Altruism (since many great collections are ultimately donated to museums and learning institutions)
• The desire to control, possess and bring order to a small (or even a massive) part of the world
• Nostalgia and/or a connection to history
• Accumulation and diversification of wealth (which can ultimately provide a measure of security and freedom)
   
                  MOTIVATION FOR COIN COLLECTORS/TYPES OF COLLECTORS

The motivations for collecting are varied. Possibly the most common type of collector is the hobbyist, who amasses a collection purely for fun with no real expectation of profit. This is especially true of casual collectors and children who collect items on the basis of chance and personal interest.
Another frequent reason for purchasing coins is as an investment. As with stamps, precious metals or other commodities, coin prices are cyclical based on supply and demand. Prices drop for coins that are not in long-term demand, and increase along with a coin's perceived or intrinsic value. Investors buy with the expectation that the value of their purchase will increase over the long term.
Coin hoarders may be similar to investors in the sense that they accumulate coins for potential long-term profit. However, unlike investors, they typically do not take into account aesthetic considerations; rather they gather whatever quantity of coins they can and hold them. This is most common with coins whose metal value exceeds their spending value

Speculators, be they amateurs or commercial buyers, generally purchase coins in bulk and often act with the expectation of short-term profit. They may wish to take advantage of a spike in demand for a particular coin
A final type of collector is the inheritor, an accidental collector who acquires coins (a collection, hoard or investment) from another person as part of an inheritance. The inheritor may not necessarily have an interest in or know anything about numismatics at the time of the acquisition.
Marudhar Arts Invite all Budding Numismatists/Aficionados to have a look at their exclusive collection including some rare and exotic coins of the erstwhile era by visiting their website www.marudhararts.com.

For more information on how to collect these opulent cisterns of our heritage, one can liaise with us on 080-65329800/info@marudhararts.com

Marudhar Arts

Dear Collectors,

Welcome to Marudhar Arts, founded in 1966 by Mr. Prem Ratan Maru, we are one of India's most trusted and venerated numismatic dealers and auctioneers. Located in Bangalore, in the heart of the IT capital of India, Marudhar Arts are the one and only company in South India to hold an Antique license, which speaks volumes about our professionalism, integrity, expertise and service.

Started as a hobby of collecting postage stamps, Mr Maru started his journey from Bikaner(Rajasthan), where he  developed  an  extraordinary  new  concept  of  shaping  this particular  hobby of collection of Stamps and Coins as one of the Prime Investment Businesses in India which was inherently collector oriented. This avocation allows one to pursue their hobby and as well as create an alternative investment.

Following in the glorious footsteps of Mr. Prem Ratan Maru, his son, Mr. Rajender Maru gave extensions to this business with his business acuity and promising potential. To keep up with the growing demand of ecommerce our first e-Store portal www.marudhararts.com was launched on 21st October 2007, and we are immensely proud to say that we are the first numismatic company in Asia to conduct a 100% e-Auction

Marudhar Arts was also solely responsible in organizing the very first National Numismatic Exhibition held on 6th to 9th May 2011. We are what we are today, only through determination, hard work, and by consistently producing results for our clients that met or have transcended their expectations. Throughout the numerous auctions we have held, our ability to get the job done on time, and as promised, has never faltered.

Thank You 
Marudhar Arts

http://marudhararts.com/