Early Medieval Kashmir Coinage – A New Hoard and An Anomaly

Journal of the Oriental Numismatic Society (JONS), Vol. 230, 2017

This paper discusses six recently discovered coins, which were issued by the Kidarite Huns in the north-western part of the Indian subcontinent in the fifth century AD.

Money and Money Mattersin Pre-Modern South Asia Nicholas G. Rhodes Commemoration Volume, 2019

Pondering the Past: A Collection of Essays on Polity, Economy and Institutions, 2019

The Mughals attached a great importance to coinage. The paper is titled ‘Mughal Coinage : An Insight into an Era’. The various types of coins circulating in the Mughal Empire has been discussed in great detail. The structure of the Mughal mints have also been described along with a brief discussion about the money lenders cum bankers sarrafs. A comparison have also been done along with the coinage of contemporary ‘Islamic Gunpowder’ empires – the Ottomans and Safavids. The assignment concludes with a brief discussion about the decline and finally disintegration of the Mughal Empire from the monetary point of view.

Numismatic Digest, 2017

The identification, typology and distribution patterns of twelfth-century Rajput ‘bull-and-horseman’ billon coins, are highly dependent on the evidence of coin hoards. Since the publication of Living Without Silver, a number of new hoards have come to light. This article updates the corpus of known hoards, and considers the implications of this new evidence for the previous analysis. Do the earlier conclusions stand the test of time?

Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology, 2019

The present study has been prompted to examine a very small batch of typologically early series of Toramāṇa copper coins of Kashmir based on a recent discovery (2016) of base gold Toramāṇas attributed to Kashmir. Metallurgical analysis has been undertaken to determine the metal content of this early series to understand debasement over an extended period or whether they remain pure copper from the time of issue.

Coins are as important as the inscription in history. They confirm the information derived fr om literature. They are of various metals – gold, silver, copper, or alloy and contain legends or simple marks. The coins are very important to the reconstruct of the ancient Indian history. It is a part of archaeological sources .Those with dates is prob ably very valuable for the framework of Indian chronology. Coins are almost our sole evidence with regarded to the Indo Scythian and Indo Bactrian King. The Bilingual coins had served as Rosetta Stones in deciphering the Ancient Indian writings. The purity of the metal reflects the financial conditions of the Gupta Empire. The inscription on the coin indicates territory over which the rulers ruled. Some coin throws significant light on the personal events of certain rulers. The discovery of the same kind of coins at different places helps up in fixing the coverage of various kingdoms in ancient India.

Numismatische Zeitschrift, 2021

This article discusses a recently discovered gold dinar which enables the name of a ruler in the pre-Islamic Sindhi series of coins attributed to the Rai dynasty to be clarified as “Śrī Jayataka”. In addition, examination of a small group of silver dammas and associated copper units has revealed new types to be added at the end of what is commonly known as the “Yashaditya series” from Sindh, the two copper types being the first base-metal pieces to be attributed to that series. These coins, which reflect both the Śaivite and Vaiṣṇavite religious faiths, announce another previously unknown nobleman – Śrī Varāha – who might have come from the Chach family, ruling a rump state beyond the reach of the Arab conquerors who followed Muhammad bin Qasim, or a small domain under Umayyad governorship, sometime in the mid-710s to mid-720s CE, or perhaps slightly later.

Daniel Potts, et. al. (eds), The Encyclopedia of Ancient History: Asia and Africa. Hoboken, USA: John Wiley & Sons, 2021

Prior to c. 500 CE, gold, silver, and copper coins of a dynastic model (bearing clear reference to issuing authority and regal or religious art), circulated widely throughout North India. During the following “early medieval” period up to about 1000 CE, gold coins all but disappeared. Silver coins became debased in content and anonymous or abbreviated in message. Copper coins were replaced by cowrie shells.The nature, form, and quality of coinage changed, but it did not diminish in quantity.

Jurnal of the Oriental Numismatic Soceity, No. 258, 2024

The coins of Avantivarman were either poorly known or wrongly identified by scholars in the past. The coins bearing different versions of Śāradā legend were never rightly assigned to Avantivarman, the founder king of the Utpala dynasty of Kashmir. Although the coins of this king are rare they are now known in number of varieties according to the arrangement of letters, and style and disposition of legend. After the recent discovery of several coins which have been properly identified, the present paper reinterprets the history and coinage of the first ruler of the Utpala dynasty.

World of Coins, 2016

The Gupta Empire is rightfully considered the "Golden Age of Indian History" with Gupta Coins considered as one of the most beautiful in the world and a pristine example of native Indian art. This paper commences with an imaginary introduction story about the life and coronation of Samudragupta, and includes selective coinage of the Gupta Empire; a table of common legends with its translation found on coins ; and detailed explanation for certain coin types eg Lion Slayer, Veena (Lyrist), Asvamedha (Horse Sacrifice), Archer, etc.