Radhanpur - Quarter Rupee (¼ Rupee) / 'Char Anna' of Zoravar Khan AH1287-1869AD

[asm]

It appears that good coins find me, even when I am not looking out for them ...... A recent acquisition - a Quarter (¼) Rupee / 'Char Anna' of Zoravar Khan of Radhanpur dated AH 1287 - 1869 AD. Weight is 2.81 g

The coins of Radhanpur are fairly difficult to find and the fractions - even more so. While the Rupees to get offered in auctions in India almost regularly, the Half rupees are seldom seen. The quarter rupees are elusive and I have just noted one or two offered for sale in Indian auctions. The 2 Annas (one eighth of a rupee) are extremely difficult to find. 

Interestingly the state was the first (in my knowledge) to introduce the decimal coinage in India when they introduced the 100 / 50 / 25 Falus coins - equivalent to the Rupee, Half Rupee & Quarter Rupee with the denomination mentioned on the coins. Unfortunately the experiment was short lived. So even this series is fairly difficult to find.

Amit

[Figleaf]

Congratulations, Amit. A coin that is worthy of your collection and a fun story to boot. The numismatic magnetism works two ways because you have the ability to read these coins and the experience to recognise the rarities.

The story of the short-lived decimal currency reminds me of the UK double florin (1/5th pound or 20p today), that would, with the traditional florin (10p) and shilling (5p) have been a precursor of a British decimal coin series, had it been able to shove the crown aside. It would have been very marginal in making the world a better place (maybe of most importance for school children) and there's nothing magical about the decimal system, except that a huge majority of the world uses it.

Peter

[asm]

Congratulations, Amit. A coin that is worthy of your collection and a fun story to boot. The numismatic magnetism works two ways because you have the ability to read these coins and the experience to recognise the rarities.

I'd definitely love that but, unfortunately, it is not so. The coins, fully attributed are offered to me by friendly sellers, who, knowing that I'd be prepared to pay a premium, offer these to me before putting them up for sale. Yes, it is also a fact that, may sellers, not knowing the importance of certain key types and dates put them up for sale and in such cases, knowledge does help me pick up gems at the price of common coins.

The story of the short-lived decimal currency reminds me of the UK double florin (1/5th pound or 20p today), that would, with the traditional florin (10p) and shilling (5p) have been a precursor of a British decimal coin series, had it been able to shove the crown aside. It would have been very marginal in making the world a better place (maybe of most importance for school children) and there's nothing magical about the decimal system, except that a huge majority of the world uses it.
Peter

The Indian system was far more complicated than the European systems - not only the desimalisation - which did not come in till 1954 AD (when the Rupee - Anna - Pice system was finally abolished) but the weight of copper coins (and often the Rupees) which traded by weight and metal purity (in case of silver) which varied from state to state and area to area and not by denomination (they did not have any denomination stamped on them) that had the British confused (though the common Indian citizen & trader was at ease with the system) and which forced them to bring in the Uniform coinage in the 1830's.

Amit