History · Art and Culture
Indian numismatics spans from the 6th century BC Punch Marked Coins through the Mughal Mohur, with each dynasty leaving distinct iconographic, linguistic, and metallic signatures on their coinage. Coins are primary sources for dynastic history, religious orientation, trade networks, and political legitimacy.
| Dynasty / Period | Metal | Key Symbol / Feature | Language / Script | Special Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punch Marked (6th–2nd c. BC) | Silver | 1–5 punch marks; Magadha had 5 symbols | — | Irregular shape, standard weight; Ratti = 0.11g |
| Mauryan (322–185 BC) | Silver, Gold, Copper, Lead | Sun + six-armed wheel most consistent | — | Karshapanas = 50–54 grains, 32 rattis |
| Indo-Greek (180 BC–10 AD) | Silver, Copper, Nickel, Lead | Ruler's bust/head; Greek gods (Zeus, Hercules, Apollo, Pallas Athene) | Greek (front) + Pali/Kharosthi (back) | First to show ruler's portrait on coin |
| Kushan | — | Helmeted king's bust (one side); king's favourite deity (reverse) | Greek characters only (Kanishka) | Introduced portrait head tradition |
| Satavahana (232 BC–227 AD) | Lead (primary), Potin (silver-copper alloy), Copper | Elephant, horse, lion, Chaitya (one side); Ujjain symbol (other) | Prakrit | Devoid of artistic merit; Ujjain symbol = cross with 4 circles |
| Western Satraps / Indo-Scythians (35–405 AD) | — | King's head (one side); Buddhist chaitya/stupa (other) | Prakrit (many scripts) | Bear dates in Saka era (starts 78 AD); Saka origin |
| Gupta (319–550 AD) | Gold (primary), Silver, Copper | King in martial/leisure activities (one side); Goddess Lakshmi / Queen (other) | Sanskrit (Brahmi script) — first time in coin history | Silver issued only after Chandragupta II defeated Western Satraps |
| Vardhanas (late 6th c. AD) | Silver | King's head (one side); Peacock (other) | — | Harsha's coins dated from AD 606 (coronation year) |
| Western Chalukyas (6th c. AD) | — | Temple or lion + legends (one side); other side BLANK | — | Founded by Pulakesin I; capital Badami, Karnataka |
| Eastern Chalukyas (7th c. AD) | — | Boar at centre; king's name letters around it; other side BLANK | — | — |
| Rajput Dynasties (11th–12th c.) | Gold, Copper, Billon (silver-copper alloy); rarely silver | Type 1: King's name in Sanskrit + goddess; Type 2: seated bull + horseman | Sanskrit | Two types; Gandhara/Sindh = Type 2 |
| Pandyan | Gold, Silver, Copper | Early: elephant (square coins); Later: fish symbol | Sanskrit (gold/silver); Tamil (copper) | — |
| Chola (Raja Raja-I) | — | Standing king (one side); seated goddess (other) | Sanskrit | Rajendra-I's coins: tiger + fish emblems; legend 'Gangaikonda Chola' |
| Pallava | — | Lion figure | — | — |
| Delhi Sultanate | Gold, Silver, Copper, Billon | No king's image (idolatry prohibition); Hijri calendar dates | Arabic | First time mint name inscribed; Iltutmish introduced Silver Tanka + Copper Jital |
| Vijayanagara (14th–17th c.) | Gold (large quantities), Silver, Copper | Running warrior + dagger (Pagodas); double-headed eagle; Hindu deities | Kannada / Sanskrit | Pagodas = higher denomination; Gold fanams & Silver taras = fractional |
| Mughal | Gold (Mohur), Silver (Rupee), Copper (Dam) | No idol images; inscriptions, names, dates | Persian / Arabic | Akbar: Ilahi coin (1579) for Din-i-Illahi; Jahangir: Zodiac signs + Noorjahan's name |
Mauryan Punch Marked (322–185 BC)
Kushan Coins (Indo-Greek Kushan kings)
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Earliest Indian coin reference | Vedas — Nishka = metal coin |
| Rupee introduced by | Sher Shah Suri (16th c., Afghan lineage) |
| Cowrie shells | Used by ordinary masses for small transactions; carried definite value |
| Money trees | Ancient India — flat metal shaped like a tree; round disk-coins at branch ends |
| Chhatrapati Shivaji | Issued gold huns and copper Shivarais; titles in Nagari script |
| Wodeyar dynasty (1399–1947) | King Kanthiraya Narasa's coins: Narasimha avatar of Vishnu; weighed 6–8 grains |
| Haidar Ali | Continued Wodeyar coinage with Shiva and Parvati on gold pagodas |
| Tipu Sultan | Used two eras on his coins |
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This chapter covers Introduction & Context, Master Comparison Table: Dynasty-wise Coin Features, Key Dynasty Profiles, Additional Important Facts, Interlinks. It is organized as revision-ready notes followed by a linked practice quiz.
For Currency Through the Ages: Coinage as a Window into Indian History, focus on definitions, dates, places, institutions, distinguishing features, and factual comparisons in the chapter. Then use the quiz to check recall and identify gaps.
Use the Currency Through the Ages: Coinage as a Window into Indian History chapter headings to organize an answer framework. Connect causes, consequences, comparisons, examples, and evidence wherever the notes provide them instead of memorizing isolated facts.
| Pallava dynasty |
| Coins had figure of a lion |