Ancient India Coinage

Punch Marked Coins

The first documented coinage is deemed to start with 'Punch
Marked' coins issued between the 7th-6th century BC and
1stcentury AD. These coins are called 'punch-marked' coins
because of their manufacturing technique. Mostly made of silver,
these bear symbols, each of which was punched on the coin with a
separate punch.

Punch Marked Coin, Silver Bentbar

Dynastic Coins

The earliest of these coins relate to those of the IndoGreeks, the Saka-Pahlavas and the Kushans.
These coins are generally placed between the 2nd century
BC and 2nd century AD.
Hellenistic traditions characterise the silver coins of the
Indo-Greeks, with Greek gods and goddesses figuring
prominently, apart from the portraits of the issuers.

Indo-Greek Coins

Gupta & Post-Gupta

Coinage

These were revived by Gangeyadeva the Kalachuri ruler

who issued the 'Seated Lakshmi Coins' which were copied
by later rulers both in gold as well as in debase form.
The Bull & Horseman type of coins were the most common
appearing on coins struck by the Rajput clans.

Seated Lakshmi
&
Bull & horseman

SOUTH INDIAN COINAGE

The symbols and motifs on South Indian coin issues
were confined to dynastic crests such as the boar
(Chalukya), bull (Pallava), tiger (Chola), fish (Pandya
and Alupas), bow and arrow (Cheras) and lion
(Hoysala) etc.
The Yadavas of Devagiri issued 'Padmatankas' with an
eight-petalled lotus on the obverse and a blank
reverse.

Coins of the Cholas

9th - 13th Centuries

Coins of the
Alupas of Udipi
11th - 13th
Centuries

Padmatankas,
Coins of the Yadavas of Devagiri
12th - 14th Centuries

Medieval India Coinage

The Khilji rulers issued coins in abundance with
grandiloquent titles (Ala-ud-din Khilji struck coins
assuming the title 'Sikandar al Sani', the second
Alexander) as well as honorific epithets for mints
(the Delhi mint bore titles 'Hazrat Dar-al-Khilafat,
etc.).
Coins were struck in gold, silver and copper. In
the monetary system, the equation between gold
and silver was probably at 1:10.

Coin of Nasiru-d-din Mahmud

1246 - 1266 AD

Coin of Ghiyasu-d-din Balban

1266 - 1287 AD

Mughal Coinage

Technically, the Mughal period in India commenced in 1526

AD when Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodhi, the Sultan of Delhi
and ended in 1857 AD when the British deposed and exiled
Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal Emperor after the
great uprising
Where coin designs and minting techniques were
concerned, Mughal Coinage reflected originality and
innovative skills. Mughal coin designs came to maturity
during the reign of the Grand Mughal, Akbar. Innovations
like ornamentation of the background of the die with floral
scrollwork were introduced.

Mughal
Coinage

MohurHumayun

One Rupee-Sher
Shah

Mohur-Akbar

MohurAurangzeb

Pre-Colonial India & Princely States:

Coinage
While the Marathas have had a long history, they
came into the limelight in the seventeenth
century led by the charismatic leader Shivaji.
Three types of Rupees were in circulation during
this period, viz., the Hali Sicca, the Ankushi rupee
which was the standard rupee of Pune, and the
Chandori rupee which was on par with the
Ankushi.

Silver, Pune Mint

Mysore & Coins of the Sikhs

Coin of Hyder Ali

Rupee of Tipu Sultan

Coins of the Sikhs

British India Coinage

The British initially issued coins mostly along
Mughal pattern.
The system that evolved was along Mughal lines
and followed bi-metallism.
Copper lost its monetary significance.
After the British gained ascendancy by 1830s
standardization was attempted by Indian Coinage
Act of 1835.
Rupee was weighing 11.66gms of 0.917 fineness
silver and issued along European lines.
It was made sole legal tender in British Held India.

 The Act put India on Silver Standard.

India continued on Silver Standard till 1893
when it Commenced it's shift to gold
exchange standard.
In 1940, to conserve on specie, the
quaternary alloy (50 silver) Rupee was
introduced.
The Rupee notes were issued as fiat money.
In 1947 Rupee was issued in Nickel.

Republic India
Coinage
Naya Paisa Series 1957-1964

The Anna Series

Aluminium Series 1964 onwards

Stainless steel coinage 1988 onwards

The Mahatma Gandhi Series

Notes
This series of notes were introduced from 1996.
It featured portrait of Mahatma Gandhi on the obverse
and as well as in the Watermark.
Security features of the Mahatma Gandhi Series are
enhanced periodically to stay ahead of Counterfeiters
and maintain confidence of public in bank notes.
The security features were reviewed in 2005 and was
decided to introduce additional new security features.
Bank Notes of denomination of 50,100,500,1000 were
enhanced with new security features in August 2005 &
notes of 10Rs,20Rs in September 2006.

The Mahatma Gandhi Series

Notes

 Thank you