Enigmatic Copper: possibly Malwa Opium Trade coin like a TONK paisa.

Started by asm, January 20, 2010, 04:45:26 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

asm

This is a paisa of Tonk. Please help with further attribution.

Amit
"It Is Better To Light A Candle Than To Curse The Darkness"

Rangnath

I love the coin Amit.
I lightened it to see more.
richie

asm

#2
Thanks Richie,
With your help, more is seen on the coin and I hope to get a perfect attribution.

I found the following on numismaster:
Reference          C#45a
Denomination   Paisa
Coinage Type   Hammered Coinage (Mughal Series) AH 1226 (AD 1811)
Mint                   Sironj
Composition   Copper
Description Reverse   Horse

However I see that the horse is facing or running left . In my coin above, it is facing right. The legend under the horse also looks slightly different.

As per the date mentioned above, this coin would fall under the reign of Muhammad Akbar II while, I believe, the coin I have uploaded is issued i.n.o. Shah Alam II. If my reading of the emperor is correct, could this be the reason why the coin looks a bit different?

Amit
      
"It Is Better To Light A Candle Than To Curse The Darkness"

Oesho

The only paisa I know of Sironj, shows the horse to left and has a legend i.n.o. of (Muhammad) Akbar Shah, dated AH1226. Ref.: C#54a.
The type shown above is different. The legend around the horse is rather meaningless. The reverse shows a Chandori type of a design. It seems intentionally copied from some other design and therefore it might be just an example, produced at some of the counterfeit centres in Malwa, to finance the poppy cultivation and opium production in the early 19th century.

asm

Oesho,

Does this mean that this is not a issue of TONK state but a illigal currency minted in the Malwa region to finance the Opium Trade.

Do you agree with the topic name or should it be modified.

Amit

"It Is Better To Light A Candle Than To Curse The Darkness"

Oesho


KarlAntonMartini

May I add one more enigmatic horse? It has about 25 mm in diameter and weighs 19,78 g. I couldn' t find a date or a (for me) readable inscription. It doesn't fit to C 45a or LW Misc. 25. I bought it as kachcha paisa but it seems to me too heavy to fit in the definition of kachcha paisas. So could it be also a coin made for the opium trade? Best regards, KarlAntonMartini

Zeno: --
Numista: --

asm

Quote from: KarlAntonMartini on July 16, 2023, 05:44:33 PMMay I add one more enigmatic horse? It has about 25 mm in diameter and weighs 19,78 g. I couldn' t find a date or a (for me) readable inscription. It doesn't fit to C 45a or LW Misc. 25. I bought it as kachcha paisa but it seems to me too heavy to fit in the definition of kachcha paisas. So could it be also a coin made for the opium trade? Best regards, KarlAntonMartini

Zeno: --
Numista: --
Your coin is Indore, Mint Mehidpur. Issue of the Vagh Rajas (Vagh is Tiger). It is a lion and not a Horse that is seen on the coin. At one time fairly difficult to find but now not so difficult. https://www.zeno.ru/search.php?searchid=743742

Amit
"It Is Better To Light A Candle Than To Curse The Darkness"

Figleaf

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

asm

Quote from: Figleaf on July 17, 2023, 08:04:31 AMWOW, that's an eye for detail! Great id, Amit!

Peter
Thanks, Peter. I had a few of these in my collection.

Amit
"It Is Better To Light A Candle Than To Curse The Darkness"

KarlAntonMartini