Two Types of British Currency in India with Same Denomination

History of British India currency notes is extremely fascinating when you explore the different categories in depth. Let’s take a look at two types of British Indian currency notes which carry the same denomination today.

20 Rupees Uniface Note of Queen Victoria

These old British India notes bore the denomination 20 Rupees and were issued for Bombay Circle on 10th June 1864. The uniface notes depicted a portrait of Queen Victoria while the other side was left blank. They were produced using handmade white paper and had a dimension of 16cm X 30cm. These historical British Indian currency notes featured the signatures of J.A. Ballard and S.K. Lambert, while the letter “C” was used as the prefix.
Queen Victoria portrait was shown inside a floral wreath in the top left corner. Other texts included 'Government of India'; Serial numbers with prefix on both sides of the promise text; Denomination in words in Bangla and Persian; Circle between printed mirrored dates on both sides; Denomination in numerals in Persian and Bangla; The name of Sub-Circle as an overprint; Hand stamped signature 'For The Government Of India’. The watermark featured the text GOVERNMENT OF INDIA in bold letters.

20 Rupees Uniface Note of Government of India

 Here is another beautiful example of currency of British India bearing the denomination 20 Rupees, issued for Lahore or Calcutta circle. These Uniface notes were made of handmade white paper or moulded paper. They had a breadth of 12cm and length of 17cm. These British India notes featured the signature of A.F. Cox and the prefix EA. The Language Panel included four languages namely, Urdu, Hindi, Kaithi and Bangla.
The obverse side featured other texts such as Government Of India'; Serial numbers; two sets of mirrored dates, Circle of Issue, promise text; Denomination panel, '20/Rupees' in a hexagon; 'For The Government Of India', Green underprint consisting of Irregular ovals under the serial number and a big 'Twenty'. The watermark contained wavy lines inside a wavy rectangular panel; INDIA; GOVERNMENT OF INDIA; Vertical RUPEES inverted on both sides; Plate number in an alphabet and week and year of manufacture in four digits.

If you are trying to build a set of british currency in India, then don’t forget to look for notes from these two distinct categories.

Banknote Collecting Supplies for Different Types of Collectors

When it comes to the hobby of collecting banknotes, you will find all kinds of collectors. Amateur or novice collectors are not too keen about doing research or learning about the history behind old banknotes. They are mostly interested in building a collection of banknotes from different parts of the world. Expert notaphilists on the other hand, dig deep into the history of banknotes and keep researching to increase their knowledge base. There are certain collectors who are passionate about collecting banknotes that feature fancy serial numbers, while there are others who treasure rare banknotes as an investment and sell them later for a higher price. No matter which category you fall into, you wouldn’t be able to make your mark in this hobby if you don’t invest in the right kind of banknote collecting supplies.

Novice Collectors:
Good quality banknote accessories help you in organising your collection in a decent way. You can categorise your banknotes based on different parameters such as country name, denomination, year of issue etc. When you present what you have neatly in a banknote album, you are surely going to impress a few admirers. 

Expert Notaphilists:
A branded banknote collection album is a must for an expert notaphilist. Most notaphilists have an index, using which they browse through their collections quickly. Finding a particular note for research is almost impossible if you don’t organise them in banknote collecting supplies. 

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Serial Number Enthusiasts:
Collectors who hunt banknotes with special serial numbers generally want to arrange their sets in a specific format. They might also want to slide in a piece of information in banknote sleeves along with their notes. This way, people who view these sets will get a clear idea about the significance of a particular set or note. 

Rarity Seekers:
Maintaining the condition of rare and precious notes is extremely important. If you fail to do so, then you might have to sell them at a lower value in the future. Banknote accessories protect your collection from dust, moisture and other external elements, thus ensuring that the condition of your note remains intact for a long period of time. 

To cut the long story short, investing in quality accessories is unavoidable for any collector.

Understanding Indian Notes and their Broad Categories

There are so many varieties of Indian notes that it sometimes gets very difficult to study them. The best way to analyse the history of Indian notes is by doing your research category-wise. Notes of India are broadly classified into five categories. Let’s understand each one today.

Early Indian Banknotes

The East India Company issued currency notes in India for three different presidencies namely, Bengal Presidency, Bombay Presidency and Madras Presidency. These notes were issued by semi-government banks as well as private banks. The Bank of Hindostan was the oldest bank of India which issued Indian notes from 1770 to 1832.

British India Notes

After the revolt of 1857, India directly fell under the authority of British Crown. Old notes of India issued after this time period were known as British India Notes. Initially, uniface notes featuring a portrait of Queen Victoria were issued. Banknotes depicting a portrait if King George V and King George VI were also issued later.

Princely State Issues

Only one princely state has issued currency notes of India, and that is Hyderabad. These banknotes depicted beautiful designs and Persian texts. Notes in denominations such as 1 rupee, 5 rupees, 10 rupees, 100 rupees, 500 rupees and 1000 rupees were issued by Hyderabad. Collectors are always keen on acquiring examples of these amazing princely state issues.  
 Colonial Notes

Apart from Britain, several parts of the Indian subcontinent were colonised by other European powers such as the Dutch, French, Portugal and Danes. Rare notes of India issued by these Governments fall under this category. These wonderful banknotes of India were circulated only within a particular territory.  

Republic India Notes

Notes of India issued after independence are known as Republic India notes. Today, the Reserve Bank of India issues banknotes of denominations such as 5 rupees, 10 rupees, 20 rupees, 50 rupees, 100 rupees, 500 rupees and 2000 rupees. 1 rupee notes are issued by the Government of India.


 If you are interested in collecting Indian Notes, then it is important to understand these broad categories first. Once you start reading about the history of Indian banknotes, you will start enjoying your hobby even more!  

Stamp Collecting Accessories Are Essential for all types of Collectors

When it comes to the hobby of Stamp Collecting, you will find all kinds of collectors. Some are interested in doing research and increasing their knowledge, while many others are keen on acquiring rare postage stamps. Even though their intent may be different, all of them would understand the importance of quality stamp collecting accessories.

Topical collectors
Most stamp collectors and philatelists have a specific area of interest. Depending on the topics they like to read or research about, they pick up a theme and try finding postage stamps which fall under that particular theme. Philatelic supplies are required to organise your collection based on these topics. If you keep storing stamps haphazardly, there are chances that you might misplace them. It is almost impossible to put together a unique set, unless you organise them in stamp collecting albums.

Love for Rarities
There are some expert collectors who are always on the lookout for rare postage stamps. They attend auctions and invest in these rarities so that they can sell them later at a better price. Stamp collecting accessories are absolute must-haves if you want to preserve the condition of these rare stamps. Old postage stamps are very delicate and they can easily get damaged if necessary precautions are not taken. So, always keep your rare beauties safely in branded stamp stockbooks, just like you safeguard diamonds in a secure locker.

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Knowledge Seekers
Postage stamps can reveal a lot of information about various aspects of a country. Through this hobby, collectors get a chance to upgrade their knowledge. They also get a window to learn about various cultures, traditions, historical facts, personalities, wildlife, architecture, art and more from different parts of the world. When you store your stamps in stamp collecting supplies, you can easily browse through your collection in a systematic manner whenever you want to explore something new. Stamp binders are great, as you can keep on adding more stamps to your collection dynamically, as and when it grows along with your knowledge.

Young Students
Youngsters and school-going kids can gain a lot through this hobby as it offers a fun way to learn many concepts. Apart from that, when kids are asked to protect their stamps using stamp collecting sheets, they invariably become more responsible by nature. Moreover, children can sometimes be very careless, which is why keeping your collection secure in stamp stockpages is important, especially when kids are handling it. 

No matter which category you fall into, if you are a passionate collector then you must always store your valuable possession in good quality stamp collecting accessories, so that your future generations can marvel at your collection and take your legacy forward. 

2 Unique Examples of World Paper Money Every Collector Must Look For

The thrill of collecting World currency can be experienced only when you take up the hobby more seriously. It is not possible to keep adding rare world banknotes to your collection. However, you can always look for different currencies of the world that have a rich history behind it. Let’s take a look at two such examples of world paper money and study their designs. 

50 HELLER Banknote of Liechtenstein 

These unique world banknotes were issued for the House of Liechtenstein in the year 1920. They bore the denomination 50 HELLER and featured a vertical design. The obverse side of this amazing world paper money featured a checkered background with coat of arms at the centre. The name of issuing authority was printed at the top centre. Other texts include the value in words, promise text below followed by signatures. All the legends on these banknotes of the world were in German. The reverse side of these rare banknotes of the world were very unique as it featured an image of the Castle in Vaduz in blue colour.
Krone was the official currency of Liechtenstein from 1898 to 1921. One krone was made of 100 Heller. After the Austro-Hungarian Empire was dissolved in the year 1918, Austro-Hungarian krone and Austrian krone was used. As Krone started becoming more and more unstable, Swiss franc was chosen as the national currency in 1921. Smaller denominations such as 10, 20, and 50 Heller were issued in 1920 as there was a shortage of coins. When you collect such wonderful banknotes from around the world, you must also make an effort to understand their history.

100 Afghanis note from Afghanistan  

Here is another stunning example of world currency that’s easily available. This red-coloured 100 Afghanis note was issued in the year 1961. The obverse side featured the Arabic legend 'Bank of Afghanistan' on top right with promise text. The numerical year of issue and value in words was shown below it. Signatories were also printed with names below on the face. The National emblem of Afghanistan is positioned at the bottom centre while the Name of printer in Latin can be seen below it. The prefix with serial number is printed at the bottom right and left corners. Denomination 100 Afghanis in Arabic is shown at centre right, while denomination in Latin is featured at centre left. A portrait of the last King of Afghanistan, Mohammed Zahir Shah in military uniform is depicted on the left side of these amazing banknotes of the world.
The reverse side featured the Arabic Legend 'Bank of Afghanistan' on top right, while denomination 100 Afghanis in Latin is shown at top left and in Arabic at bottom right corner. Vignette of Friday mosque in Heart is shown at centre. The interesting aspect of these world banknotes is that, they were printed at Thomas De La Rue & Co. Ltd. in London, England, with a multicolour underprint. The watermark features an effigy of King Muhammad Zahir Shah.

So don’t get disheartened if you don’t find rare world paper money because there are several other unique and interesting varieties to explore.

Coin Collecting Supplies Can Be Your Real Saviour

It’s always better to live without any regrets in life. It takes a lot of effort, research and patience to put together an impressive coin collection, but it doesn’t even take a moment to lose or destroy them. That’s the reason why, every collector should definitely take preventive measures to safeguard a coin collection from the very beginning. If you choose to remain careless, you might have to regret later when you have no other option but to sell your coins at a lesser price. More than the monetary losses, coins have a lot of historical significance. They speak a lot about our rich culture and traditions. It’s our responsibility to protect these amazing pieces of history using quality coin collecting supplies.

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Since coins are small in size, there are high chances that you might misplace them if you store them in random boxes or drawers. If you take your hobby seriously, then you should invest in good coin collecting accessories so that you don’t lose your precious coins. These accessories come in different sizes and shapes and each one of them have their own functionality. Coin albums contain several pages and each page has multiple plastic pouches in which you can insert your coins. You also have the option to buy coin pages separately in case there is no space left in your album. Make sure that you purchase branded coin collecting supplies because local brands manufacture their products using inferior quality materials. Branded coin accessories might be a bit costly, but they will definitely last longer and more importantly, they will keep your collection safe from any kind of dust, moisture or scratches.

Coin capsules are generally made of hard plastic and they protect your coins from any kind of external abrasions. Coin storage boxes look very classy and sophisticated. They are generally used by collectors to store rare or precious coins. They come with a soft padding which gives extra protection to coins. Coin holders are mostly made of hard cardboard and a transparent plastic see-through. They help in naming coins and keeping them intact inside an album.

So think twice before you select your coin collecting accessories, because they are the best friends of your collection.

Old Currency Bank Notes of India – Interesting Facts and History

Old Currency Bank Notes issued after independence are known as republic India notes. However, the Reserve Bank of India continued to issue and circulate extant notes of British India till 26th January 1950 when the constitution of India was formed. The first ever 1 rupee notes of republic India were designed in the year 1949 by the Government of India. Ever since then, the Government of India has been issuing 1 rupee notes for India while all the remaining denominations are issued by the Reserve Bank of India. The latest denomination is the 200 Rupees note that was introduced last year and the 2000 rupees note that was introduced in 2016. Designs of 10 Rs and 50 rupees republic India notes have also be revamped recently.    

At first, it was decided that the old republic India notes would feature a portrait of the father of our nation, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi. Strangely though, the decision was revoked at the last moment and the Lion Capital of Sarnath was chosen. This was probably because they didn’t want to depict a personality on the first republic India notes. Instead they wanted to feature a symbol that represents our country.

Old notes of republic India that were issued after 1953 started using Hindi language more boldly. Did you know that the Reserve bank of India had issued old currency banknotes of high denominations such as Rs 1,000, Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 10,000 in the year 1954? Another interesting fact about republic India notes is that the size of notes were reduced in the year 1967 as the nation was facing economic crises and the government wanted to implement cost-cutting measures. A commemorative series of republic India notes was issued in the year 1969 to celebrate the birth centenary of Mahatma Gandhi. Unlike other old notes of republic India, these special notes featured a seated Gandhiji with the Sevagram Ashram in the background.

The very first 20 Rs notes of republic India were introduced in the year 1972 and the first 50 rupees notes were circulated two years later, in 1975. The high denomination old currency banknotes were demonetised in 1972. The ancient mathematician Aryabhatta was featured on the 2 Rupees notes of republic India in 1980s. Similarly, the oil rig was featured on 1 rupee note and Farming mechanism was featured on 5 rupees notes issued during this period. The Konark wheel and Peacock were featured on 20 rupees and 10 rupees notes of this time.  

There are many such interesting facts related to old currency banknotes that need to be explored as a true Indian. So, start collecting different types of republic India notes to enhance your knowledge.

Tips for Collecting Rare Banknotes of India and Enhancing Knowledge

There is a large community of people who are crazy about collecting Indian banknotes. Some are interested in rare banknotes while others look for notes with fancy serial numbers. No matter where your speciality or expertise lies, there is a lot to learn through the study of old currency banknotes.

We have reached a stage where countries are now producing polymer notes, but do you know how  early banknotes of India were made? Most of these notes were made using handmade white paper, due to which it is very difficult to find early banknotes in extremely good condition.

The East India Company had made different territories in the Indian subcontinent namely, Bombay Presidency, Madras Presidency and Bengal Presidency for administrative purposes. Private and semi-government banks such as Bank of Hindostan, issued Indian presidency banknotes that were circulated only within these specific territories. Some of these early banknotes come in unique denominations such as 8 rupees, 16 rupees, 5000 rupees and more. Many of them had designs only on one side. If you have any one of these rare banknotes in your collection, you can make a lot of money by auctioning them. The unique calligraphy and designs on these old banknotes of India make them even more precious.

It is very important to take care of these early banknotes by using quality banknote albums as they are very delicate. Only if you maintain the condition of your notes, will you be able to fetch good returns in the future.  Apart from that, join as many online and offline communities who are into collecting early Indian banknotes. This way, you will get to know about the historical significance of certain unique banknotes of India.

Knowledge is everything in this hobby. If you don’t keep researching, dealers and sellers might try fooling you by selling notes at a much higher value than its actual market value. The best way to increase your knowledge about early banknotes is by reading reference books and catalogues written by famous notaphilists. When you are aware about each variety of Indian banknotes, you will be able to put together a more impressive collection. So, lose yourself into the world of early Indian banknotes and enhance your knowledge along with your collection.

Three Extremely Rare Medieval Coins of India Issued by Muslim Rulers

There are some fine examples of Medieval India Coinage that will definitely make you go wow! Today, we take a look at three extremely rare and stunning medieval period coins that were issued by Muslim rulers.

Silver Tanka of Mamluk Dynasty Ruler, Razia Sultan

These extremely rare coins of medieval India were issued by the Mamluk dynasty of Delhi Sultanate during the regime of Raziya Sultan who reigned from 1236 AD to 1240 AD. These round shaped silver tanka coins weighed between 10.8 to 10.9 grams and were die-struck at Delhi mint in 635 AH.  These medieval period coins belonged to the Fi Ahd series and bore Arabic inscriptions. The obverse featured the legend Al-Sultan Al-AZam Shamsa Al-Dunya WaL Din Al-Sultan Al-Mu'Azzam Radiyyat Al-Dunya Wa'L Din, while the reverse depicted the text Fi Ahd Al-Imam Al-Mustansir Amir Al-MuMinin in Arabic.

Gold Tanka of Deccan Sultanate Ruler, Shams Al-Din Muhammad Shah III

Here’s another example of extremely rare Medieval coins of India which were issued by the Deccan Sultanate (also known as Bahamanis) during the regime of Shams Al-Din Muhammad Shah III who ruled from 1463 to 14 82 AD. This round shaped gold Tanka weighs 10.4 grams and belongs to the Al-mutasim series.  They were die-struck in the Anno Hijri year 867. Experts believe that these coins in Medieval India were struck from two reverse dies. The obverse side features the Arabic text Muhammad Shah Bin Humayun Shah al-Sultan (Khallad Mulkahu) where Muhammad is written on the top. The reverse side features the legend Muhammad Shah Bin Humayun Shah al-Sultan (Khallad Mulkahu) where Muhammad is written on the top.

Gold Tanka of Madura Sultanate Ruler, Ghiyat Al Din Muhammad Damghan Shah 

These extremely rare Medieval coins in India were issued by Madura Sultanate during the reign of Ghiyat Al Din Muhammad Damghan Shah, who ruled for four years from 1340 AD to 1344 AD. This marvellous Gold Tanka weighs between 11.8 to 11.9 grams. These round shaped coins of Medieval India were die-struck in the Anno Hijri year 741 at Daulatabad Mint. The obverse side features the Arabic text   Al Sultan Al Azam Ghiyat Al Dunya Wa'l Din Abu'l Muzaffar Muhammad Damghan Shah Al Sultan while the reverse side features the text Sikandar Al Sani Yamin Al Khilafa Nasir Amir Al Mominin, Date written out in margins around the legend with mint name.

The best way to learn about the history of Medieval India is by understanding and analysing the coinage from that time period. So, keep looking for more interesting Coins of Medieval India and do let us know if you find one!

History of Indian Notes – A Quick Overview and Interesting Facts

The earliest notes of India were issued by three banks - Bank of Hindostan which was functional from 1770 to 1832; the General Bank in Bengal and Bahar which was established by Hastings in 1773 and issued notes for two years; and the Bengal Bank which was functional from 1784 to 1791.

Old notes of India issued for Bengal presidency featured designs only on one side initially. Later on, these currency notes of India featured the allegorical female figure of Commerce and designs on both sides.

Bank of Bombay released beautiful currency notes in India from 1840 to 1860. Private and presidency banks were not allowed to issue paper money after the Currency Act came into effect from 1861. These Indian notes were better in quality than notes issued by other banks and they featured a picture of the Town Hall of Bombay. 

The Carnatic Bank, established by Fort St. George in 1788; the Madras Bank, founded in 1795 and the Asiatic Bank established in 1804, came together to form the Bank of Madras in 1843. This bank issued notes of India featuring the vignette of the then Governor of Madras, Sir Thomas Munroe.

The very first British India notes that were issued after the Currency Act belonged to the Victoria Portrait series and featured designs only on one side. These notes were produced out of handmade paper and came with better security features. They were cut into two parts, one part was sent by post and the other half was sent only after the receipt was confirmed.

The unifaced underprint issues were released in 1867 as the earlier notes from Victoria Portrait series were counterfeited on a large scale. The Currency Note Press was set up in Nasik in the year 1928. The press started printing currency notes of India with even better security features.

When it comes to old Indian notes issued by Princely states, Osmania Notes of Hyderabad are the only ones that were circulated. Rare notes of India issued by other colonial powers such as Portuguese bore denominations such as Rupias, Tangas and Escudos. Indian notes issued by the French colonial powers bore the denomination Roupies.

Hope you got a fair idea about the history of Indian notes. So look for these interesting and rare notes of India to put together a brilliant collection.
 

Want to Collect Coins of the world? Follow These Valuable Tips

Collecting world coins is a popular hobby across the globe in which numismatists, researchers, history lovers, and collectors in general, learn a lot about our past. If you want to build an interesting world coin collection, then here are certain tips that can be very helpful in the long run. These tips are applicable for those who have recently ventured into this hobby, as well as those who have been collecting coins since many years now.

Research is a Must
Knowledge is the most vital asset for any collector. To gain more knowledge about coins of the world, you must keep researching and reading whenever you get time. The moment you acquire a new coin, read about its origins, the kingdom which issued it, the history of that particular dynasty and its rulers etc. The next time you find a world coin issued by a ruler from the same dynasty, you should be able to identify it easily. Apart from that, if you have sound knowledge about coins from around the world, no coin dealer or collector will be able to fool you in terms of pricing or market value. This is the biggest advantage you have as a knowledgeable collector.
  
Join Communities
There are several online and offline groups and communities where people discuss about different types of valuable coins from around the world. Once you start meeting these people and discussing about coinage, you will slowly increase your knowledge base. Moreover, you might also get a chance to buy/sell/exchange world coins.

Attend Events
Keep looking for events like coin exhibitions, seminars and auctions that take place in and around your location. Here again, you will gain a new perspective about coins. You might get the opportunity to interact with expert numismatists at these events as well. It is always better to clear your doubts about world coins from these experts, as you can easily get misguided otherwise. 

Maintain and Organize your Collection
Maintaining the condition of coins from around the world is the responsibility of every collector. If you manage to maintain the condition of a rare historical coin for a long period of time, you might be able to sell it for a profit as its market value increases with time. Similarly, it is very important to organize your collection nicely as coins might get misplaced easily, resulting in a loss which you might regret later on.

Now that you’ve read these tips, go ahead and try putting together a world coin collection that everyone is jealous of.

Stamp Collecting Accessories and Their Two Main Categories

Everyone owns certain valuables that they love treasuring. Apart from jewellery and expensive objects there are other things that are priceless because of its emotional value. It could be a gift that a special someone has given you or it could be something that you have collected over the years. For a philatelist or a stamp collector, their stamp collection is their most prized possession. It takes several years to build an impressive collection of stamps but it doesn’t take even a moment to spoil or misplace them. That’s the reason why stamp collectors know the importance of taking care of their collectibles using quality stamp collecting accessories. You can categorise stamp collecting supplies into two main groups.  Let’s take a look at both these categories today.

Measurement and Analysis:
This type of philatelic supplies comprises of accessories that help collectors in handling, studying and measuring various aspects of a stamp. Tongs can be used to handle delicate stamps in an appropriate manner. A Magnifying glass can be used to study the intricate details of a stamp design while a perforation gauge can be used to measure and identify stamp perforations.  There are special Colour Gauges that allow you to classify stamps based on their colour schemes.

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Storage and Organisation:
These stamp collecting accessories are basically used to protect stamp collections from unwanted external elements such as dust and moisture. A stamp collection album or stamp stockbooks not only keep your stamps away from dust and moisture, but also help you in organising your collections based on different factors such as country names, themes etc. New stamp stockpages can be added to stamp binders so that you can safeguard your rare stamps dynamically as and when your collection keeps growing.

Non-collectors will never understand the hardships and troubles that a collector goes through while building an interesting set of stamps. They will also never understand what makes a collector pursue their hobby so seriously. If you are a passionate collector, you will pay no heed to people who de-motivate you or put you down. Simply keep believing in what you love doing the most and keep nurturing your collection. 

Four Ancient Indian Coins of South Indian Dynasties and Ancient Invaders

If you are a big fan of ancient Indian coins, then there are certain amazing varieties issued by South Indian dynasties and foreign invaders that you must definitely look for. Let’s explore four such Indian old coins.

Copper Coin of Pandya Dynasty
 
These old Indian coins were struck somewhere between 50 AD and 100 AD during the Sangam Age of Pandya Dynasty.  The square-shaped coins were die-struck in around 4.98 grams of copper. The obverse of this beautiful old coin of India featured a standing elephant facing right in front of a trident. Other three symbols featured above the elephant include jars, a vessel and a chakra. The reverse features an intricately designed fish symbol. 

Copper Coin of Chera Dynasty

These ancient Indian coins were issued in the southern parts of the subcontinent under the Chera Dynasty during the reign of Kongu Chera. These round shaped copper coins were die-struck in approximately 3.5 grams of copper and bore the denomination Kasu. The obverse of these historical coins of India featured a seated Goddess holding lotus flower in both her hands while a bow and arrow can be seen beside the Goddess. The reverse depicts a symbolic form of Narasimha.

Very Rare Silver Drachm of Indo-Greek Ruler Apollodotos

These are very rare historical coins that were issued somewhere between 180 BC and 160 BC by the foreign invaders Indo-Greeks during the regime of their ruler Apollodotos. This square shaped silver Drachm has a weight of 2. 42 grams and belongs to the Elephant type coins issued by this dynasty. These ancient coins of India were Die Struck at Panjhir mint and featured interesting designs on both, obverse and the reverse. The obverse side of the coin depicts a standing elephant facing right, a Greek legend that translates to “Basileos Apollodotoy Soteros" and a monogram below the elephant. The reverse side of this coin features a standing humped bull at the centre facing right, the Kharoshti legend which reads "Maharajasa Apaladatasa Tratarasa", and a monogram below the bull. If you find one of these ancient Indian coins, you are truly lucky!

Sassanian Imitation Silver Dramma

These coins of ancient India were issued between 700 AD and 1100 AD during the reign of Sassanian Imitation dynasty ruler Firuz Imitation Gaddhaiya Series 2. This round-shaped Silver Dramma was die-struck with fascinating designs. The obverse of these Indian ancient coins featured a bust of the King facing right. The unique aspect about the bust is that the head is very narrow and eyebrows become part of the forehead. The reverse depicts a fire altar in the centre, attendants with raised hands, sun in the left field and crescent in the right field, bodies made of dots where the dots symbolise the flame in the fire altar. Hands of the attendants are represented as a semi circle, becoming a part of the altar.

Hope you had fun reading about these four types of ancient Indian coins. Just in case you find one of these or any other Old Coins of India, don’t forget to send us pictures!