Sword, Sun Face and Katar: 18th century Indore Paisa

Started by Rangnath, August 27, 2008, 09:33:18 PM

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Rangnath

I would like to identify this coin.  When I first looked, I thought it might be from Indore, but it is not.  I looked into coins from Gwalior and it is not from there either. I looked into coins from Afghanistan and Iran too. But it doesn't appear to be from there either.  Besides, I don't think that the katar was used in either Afghanistan or in Iran. Can anyone help me with this one?

(By the way, I was going to post this as the coin that any mother would love because what mother couldn't love a coin with a dagger, a sun face, and a Katar; all this as opposed to a coin which even the mother of the minter wouldn't care for.  Wow! What a profusion of symbols!  But then I thought "no richie, Mothers are sacred, leave them alone.  Besides, your own mother probably thinks you're weak in the head for getting excited about a degraded piece of copper.)

richie

Oesho

Dear Richie,
Your first illumination was correct; it is indeed a coin of Indore State. It's a paisa and listed in KM as #A61.1. This paisa appears in various varieties, but the weight is reasonable consistent, 6.92-7.16 g.
I am still puzzled by the legend on these coins. I have four specimen, but some show a Shah Alam II legend, but another may have a Muhammad Akbar II legend. They may have been struck over a prolonged period of time.

Rangnath

Yes, I did check on Indore first. I even read the description of Km A61.1.  But without a visual, I felt unsure about the choice.  I also thought that other symbols would have been mentioned:  the dagger and the katar.  I saw the reference to what I thought was Shah Alam, but again, I looked elsewhere. 
Thanks very much Oesho. 
richie

Rangnath

#3
Oesho was kind enough to post the following four images.  All are INCREDIBLE coins! 
Km A61.1 has 3 dots in the sun face.
Km A61.2 has four dots in the sun face.

But I see that the first image has neither 3 nor 4 in the sun face.  And I see what you mean about what I assume is a reference to Muhammad Akbar II in the fourth image. The range of variations are quite interesting.

Thank you so much for sharing them with us. 

If I were Abhinavaguptacharya, the Kashmiri Shaivite of the 13th century, giving a discourse on meditation, I would say:
"gaze upon the Indore Paisa of Oesho.  Observe the rich detail, the splendid symbols, the fullness of the design.  Open your heart to this image and watch love arise.  And then, very softly, allow the image to drop away.  Following that love to its source and dwell there in unity and in peace."

I apologize.  I just had a cup of Chai and it has made me a little ecstatic. But I really do love these coins.

richie

BC Numismatics

Jan,
  Those are very nice Indorean 1 Paisa coins that you have got there.If they were issued after Indore came under British suzerainty,then they'd be classed as being British Commonwealth coins.

Aidan.

Figleaf

Splendiforous! :o Sharp, nicely centered and showing elegant varieties. This is collecting at its best. The "sunface" actually reminds me of Teshoo Lama's wheel of life...

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.