World coins chat: India (Ancient)

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India - Ancient


(Image from hindusutra.com)

History:
Indian sub-continent is believe to be inhabited by humans as far as 30,000 BCE (See cave painting in india ), but the organized civilization recorded to be Indus Valley civilization which was formed mostly along Indus (or Sindhu) river from 7,500 BCE (See Indus Valley Civilization). It is one of the oldest civilizations of the world with organized cities, settlements, and economy. In this era people used batter system for transactions and the evolution of money was yet to take place. Indus valley civilization faded away around 1,700 BC and one of the reason for the same is the arrival of Aryans from central asia to this region (though this is disputed). During this time vedas (oldest scriptures of Hinduism) were formed and the whole literature were verbally communicated to one generation to next (for more than 2,000 years!) before they were actually written as a book.

Around 1,200 BC various Janapadas were formed in India with some of them very developed and economically prosperous. Also during this period Ancient texts like Ramayana and Mahabharat were formed. The Janapadas started issuing their own coinage around 600BC. Buddha was born in 563 BC in Magadha Janapada. Emperor Ashoka from Maurya Dynasty was one of most powerful kings of ancient india who conquered most indian subcontinent before accepting buddhism.

In 327 BC Alexander the Great invaded India and occupied the northern region forming the Indo-greek empire which lasted till 10 AD. After Greeks the Kushana Empire (Originally one of the tribes of the Yuezhi) flourished in india which lasted between 30-375 AD. Some kushana kings like Kaniska were very powerful and the legacy of their rule lasted a long time after they were gone though the coinage style (See Kushana imitative coinage). Kushanas and Western Satraps dynasties ruled various parts of India and were opponents of each other. After weakening of Kushanas the Gupta empire ruled most of India from 240-550 AD. During this time the economy, art, and culture of india was at its peak and so this period is also called as "Golden Age" of Ancient India. The Gupta period produced scholars such as Kalidasa, Aryabhata, Varahamihira, Vishnu Sharma and Vatsyayana who made great advancements in many academic fields.

After the fall guptas the indigenous Hindu kings of India remained much divided and dynasties rose and fell (except of the Chola dynasty of suthern india) until the Muslim invasions of India and subsequent muslim dynasties which started from the 12th century AD with the invasion of Momd. Ghori ans establishment of Sultanate of Delhi.

Coinage:



A PMC from Gandhara Janapada

Despite of the widely accepted theory that coinage stared around 7th century BC in Lydia, many experts believe that the evolution of coinage started parallel in India and china too. The oldest coins found in indian sub-continent are the silver Punch-Marked coins (PMCs) which were in use from 5th century BC. The coins were produced by cutting a sheet of silver into a specific size and then adjusting it's weight by cutting it's corners. Then various symbols were punched into the coin. The symbols varied based on the Janapada or ruler. These coins were in circulation for centuries so are now often found in relatively cheap (though certain varieties are scarce or rare). During Mauryan era copper was also used for coinage along side of silver for lower denominations. The denomination of coins during this era was called Karshapana.


Indo-Greek: Apollodotos-I Drachm

With the Indo-Greek empire the coinage of India became much similar to Greek coins but mostly with Kharosthi legend on one side of the coin and greek on the other. The denominations of these coins remained same as Greek denominations. The design of Greek coinage has long lasting influence on indian coinage long after the empire diminished.



AE Unit of Kaniska

The early Kushana kings also adopted coinage of Indo-Greek style, but later kushana king's coinage started coins of more indigenous flavor. Representation of Hindu Gods like Shiva (Oesho), Buddha started appearing in indian coinage. With guptas came the more artistic and beautifully engraved. Gupta era silver coins are relatively common but the gold coins are scarce or rare and very desirable! Some type of gold coins are Archer type and Lion Slayer type coins are generally on top of wish list of any Indian coin collector. During the gupta period Brahmi legend was introduced in coins.


Kumaragupta Drachm

Since India had a fairly complex and ever-changing ruling of various dynasties and rulers, the type of coinage of ancient india is almost too large to describe. Most of the numismatic books written on Ancient India cover only one series of one area. The only book that has the most comprehensive listing of Ancient Indian coinage is "Coins of Ancient India" by Michael Mitchiner. There are few on-line resources like (http://coinindia.com/home.html) which provide good resource on indian coinage.

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/india-ancient-1.html
“A man without a hobby is only half alive.”
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
A long time ago... before a reply ;)
Here is mine: Indo-Scythian Azes II Drachma from Taxilla

Pic taken from the auction I won 1 month ago
Administrateur du catalogue, référent de nombreuses nations antiques et de la Lorraine.
Catalogue administrator, numerous Antique nations and Lorraine referee.
A very nice coin!
“A man without a hobby is only half alive.”
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
And very interesting as seemed to be bilingual like your Indo-Greek one.
Administrateur du catalogue, référent de nombreuses nations antiques et de la Lorraine.
Catalogue administrator, numerous Antique nations and Lorraine referee.
Quote: "chomp-master"​And very interesting as seemed to be bilingual like your Indo-Greek one.
​Yes that is correct. Indo-Synthians followed same design as Indo-Greeks. On Horseman side you have legend in Greek and the "Nike Standing" side you have Kharoshthi legend.
“A man without a hobby is only half alive.”
Franklin Delano Roosevelt

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