Kathtiawar (?) fantasy, weight or counter once listed as Jaffarabad 1/2 Kori

Started by Rangnath, March 31, 2008, 01:04:48 AM

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Rangnath

This small 3 gram coin, about 11 mm acoss (square or round?), has a distinctive design.  I bought it as a coin from Jaffarabad State.  I have no problem locating Jaffarabad, the district in modern day Pakistan, but I have not been able to find the coin in the Standard Catalog.  I suppose that it was feudatory to another larger "Princely" state. But which?
Richie

Oesho

In the KM-catalogue of South Asian Coins and Papermoney the state of Jafarabad is listed. Jafarabad was a tiny state of some 12 villages and fifty sq. miles of territory on the southern coins of Kathiawar. The State was founded in the mid-eighteen century by Sidi Hilol of the Janjira ruling house. Jafarabad was subject to the Nawab of Janjira until 1924, after which oversight was exercised by the British Agent of the Governor-General in the Western India States Agency.
In the SAC&PM catalogue 3 denominations are illustrated, viz.: ¾ kori (3.4 g), kori (4.7 g) and 1 ½ kori (7.0 g). In a footnote it is mentioned "The attribution of these coins is very tentative. The denominations are suggested by the average weights."

In the successive KM century catalogues Jaffarabad has not been listed.

I presume this is correct, as these primitive objects can't be coins. I never believed these were coins, but more probably some local fantasies, weights or counters, which have been assigned to a tiny little state in the south of Saurashtra on the Kathtiawar peninsula.
The odd objects show some similarity with weights in use in Bhaunagar. See: http://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=30981
As the weight provided for the 1 ½ kori is given as 7.00 g, it coincides quite well with the weight of a ¼ Chhatank (6.96 g). The ¾ kori of 3.4 g could be 1/8 Chhatank (3.48 g). Your object might be the same, a 1/8 Chhatank.

Rangnath

In the 1960's and 70's, every merchant selling silver, gold, sweets, spices, fruit, vegtables, grains and beans had a hand scale with an assortment of weights.  So it doesn't surprise me that the "Jaffarabad" coin might actually be a weight.  And with but 12 villages, I would imagine there was no need for Jaffarabad to produce its own coinage!

Or was Jaffarabad the "Snake River", "Range View" or "Hutt River" of the Indian Northwest?
Just kidding.

Well, this now becomes my most important and only object in my Weight Collection: The primo example of a  1/8 Chhatank.

richie

Salvete

A very famous numismatist in England calls them 'washers' but he must be wrong, because there is no hole in them!  There is a round shape on some, which might be a guide in case someone wants to drill their own hole.  I doubt if doing so would make them any less valuable!  I found yet another new variety among the stock of a well-known US dealer.  Maybe I have a rare treasure?  But maybe not.  Oesho is, of course, quite right.
Bhaunagar also seems to have made a lot of weights that look like coins.  Maybe it was a Kathiawar fashion fifty years ago?
Salvete
Ultimately, our coins are only comprehensible against the background of their historical context.

Rangnath

As you can tell Salvete, moderators of our board have become more precise in rendering a subject title.  Thanks for bringing this one up. I've changed it and can change it again if anyone has a better idea. 
I think seeing the circle in the middle as a target for a hole for a washer or for shooting pratice is probably a real stretch! 
You are really rubbing salt into my wounds of keen disappointment: first Narsinghgarh and now Jaffarabad.  Sigh.  :(  :'(
richie

Salvete

Ultimately, our coins are only comprehensible against the background of their historical context.

Rangnath

Thankyou Salvete, I needed that.
But please, allow me five more days of mourning.. until the NEW YEAR.
I was going to include here an image of my Washer collection, many in vf and xf condition, including the Jaffarabad piece, my oldest washer, but I expect that Figleaf would remove the image and send it to the Livingroom. 
By the way, I paid $15 for that Kathtiawar Washer,  :-[ from a perfectly honest and sincere dealer.
richie

Salvete

Dear Richie,
  I do not remember the exact circumstances, but someone, in the 1980s I think, realised that before a certain date in the mid 20th century, there were no reports of these common coins, neither were they to be found in any earlier collections of indain coins, anywhere in the world.  Somebody followed it up and claims that these items were manufactured in the Jafarabad area just to fool the experts, and then to make a profit (Kathiawar residents have a reputation in that regard, I understand.  Sorry, Amit!)  In all probability, the metal came from the ship-breaking industry, prevalent on the coast, nearby.  I may be wrong here, but it seems likely that the late (and sadly missed)Bill Spengler may have been among the first to introduce them to the hobby in America, but it seems that he was not entirely convinced about them.  It took me eight years to collect all the types listed in Krause!!  One of them cost me $25!!  So please do not feel too badly about yours, Richie.  Anybody wanna buy a set?  One unpublished, and still warm from the production-line!
Barry
Ultimately, our coins are only comprehensible against the background of their historical context.

Rangnath


asm

Quote from: Salvete on December 27, 2009, 10:55:32 AM
Dear Richie,
Somebody followed it up and claims that these items were manufactured in the Jafarabad area just to fool the experts, and then to make a profit (Kathiawar residents have a reputation in that regard, I understand.  Sorry, Amit!)  In all probability, the metal came from the ship-breaking industry, prevalent on the coast, nearby.
Barry
The theory seems to be quite possible. The area is full of Small manufacturing units who could replicate anything one desires. While studying Engineering at Morvi (situated in Kathiawar area), I was surprised to see a Lathe operator working out of a 10 feet x 10 feet shop manufacture Vernier Calipers with the same accuracy levels as Mitutoyo of Japan and except for the name, you could not spot the difference.
BTW Barry, no need to be sorry. I can not choose my neighbours. I live in a area which has both the best and the worst of almost everything.
Amit
"It Is Better To Light A Candle Than To Curse The Darkness"

Salvete

Almost everybody I know who has visited India has the same kind of story to tell - watches repaired for Rs 20/=, errands run for the same price, and (especially at Mysore) boxes of obvious forgeries being sold to tourists!.  I once put petrol into my car instead of deisel (in England) and this cost me over Rs. 30,000/= to put right.  My friend in India did the same thing while we were near Indore.  The problem was sorted out in a tiny workshop and the bill was Rs. 400/=  So I agree about Indian entrepreneurship.  The Jafarabad washers are almot unique, I think, in being a whole series of coins invented from scratch.  As such, I intend to keep mine, just as a reminder to keep alert!  Don't sell yours, Rangnath - maybe some day we shall all be proved wrong.  But don't hold your breath.
Barry
Ultimately, our coins are only comprehensible against the background of their historical context.