Tips For Collecting Coins of Medieval India

 The more you dive into the depths of Indian history, the more you would be fascinated for sure. The problem with history is that you will find multiple accounts of the same event. That is because historians are sometimes biased about their opinions. Also, in ancient times, the court used to keep an account of various events. They used to glorify facts about their own kingdom, conquests and kings while write with a negative connotation about their rivals. That's the reason why you would find different versions of the same events from our past. Numismatics on the other hand, relies on first hand evidence. You only get what you see. Tracing history with the help of numismatic is a more scientific approach than randomly believing theories put forth by historians. From ancient to medieval times, coins have nee a true reflection of your traditions and cultures. Some of the beautiful medieval period coins from India will take you back to those times. You won't need a time machine to travel back in time. Start studying about coins of medieval India and you might see those great emperors right in front of you! Youngsters in fact would find it more exciting to understand medieval history by analysing medieval coins.

Another important factor for researching about medieval period coins of India is the need for a right source of information. Mintage World is the perfect website where you will find authenticated facts and information about all kinds of medieval coins. They are nicely classified based on various factors like time period, dynasty, type of coins, denomination, emperor name etc. It becomes extremely easy to browse through the website when all the information is so well-categorised. Suppose you have medieval coins struck under the regime of Akbar, then all you have to do is start navigating in the right direction to get all that you need. You will get to view high resolution images of the coins along with detailed obverse and reverse descriptions alongside. What more could you ask for as a researcher or a passionate coin collector.

Image Courtesy: www.mintageworld.com

You can start by acquiring coins of medieval India which are not that costly. This will build your confidence. Then you can start discussing with other collectors who are also interested in collecting medieval coins. This way you will not only build your network but also increase your knowledge base. With time, you will slowly build a unique and interesting collection of medieval period coins. You will also gradually pick up a speciality and start building a series of coins that fall into a certain category. As the quality of your collection increases, you will start gaining more respect in the field of numismatics. You can then use the power of social media websites to connect with collectors from different parts of the world. You can also start attending webinars and seminars that are related to medieval coins of India. When you discover unknown facts about a certain type of medieval coins, your collection will become more and more exclusive.

Another thing that you must never forget is taking care of your collection like your own child. Invest in the best coin collecting accessories so that they remain in the best possible condition for a long time. This will ensure that the value of your rare medieval coins will never go down.

Lastly, you must not lose hope. Your drive, passion and love for medieval period coins should remain constant. You might get bogged down by discouraging comments from your friends or family members. Nothing should really affect you if you are a passionate numismatist. Those who are not in this field might never understand what it means to hold a piece of history in their own hands.
Here are some tips and tricks you should keep in mind while collecting coins of Medieval India.

Varieties of Medieval Period Coins That You Might Not be Aware About!

When we talk about coin of medieval India in the field of numismatics, the ones issued by popular kings like Akbar, Shahjahan, Shivaji etc are more popular. However there are several other interesting medieval period coins of India that have a lot of historical significance. These unique medieval coins can make your collection even more interesting. Let’s take a look at some unique coins of medieval India today.

Medieval coins of India can be broadly classified into five groups namely, the once issued by various sultans, Mughal coinage, coins struck under independent kingdoms, coins issued by princely states and finally the ones issued by Hindu Kingdoms and empires. The Indian subcontinent was governed by various sultanates like Delhi Sultanate, Malwa Sultanate, Gujarat sultanate, Bengal sultanate, Deccan Sultanate etc. in the medieval times. Apart from them, Kashmir, Ahmadnagar, Madura etc. were also governed by different sultanates. Each of these sultanates issued different medieval period coins featuring various designs and inscriptions.

Then comes the coins of Medieval India struck under the Mughals. Powerful emperors like Akbar and Shahjahan issued various types of beautiful medieval coins which are sold at auction houses across the world even today for impressive amounts.

When it comes to independent kingdoms, medieval period coins issued under the Marathas, Ahom dynasty, Mysore, Vijayanagar Empire and Sikhs come into the picture. As a passionate collector, you can research about these varieties and add value to your collection of medieval coins.

Coins issued by Princely states fall under another huge category. You can consider collecting beautiful coins of Bhopal, Bhavnagar, Awadh, Bikaner, Gwalior, Hyderabad, Indore, Mysore, Travancore etc. You will be able to understand the unique cultures, traditions and languages of India through the study of these amazing coins of Medieval India.

Finally you can look for coins issued by Hindu Kingdoms and empires like Nolambas, Yadavas, Hoysalas, Eastern Gangas, Imperial Cholas, Vaghelas etc. 
All in all, if you thought that medieval coins are only about the ones issued by Mughals and Marathas, then you are totally wrong! You must look to expand your horizons as a collector and keep researching about the different varieties of Medieval Period coins.