Aftab Anwar Baloch

The Coin history is divided into two parts (1) Pre Islamic and (2) Islamic till to the contemporary period Coinage.
Pre Islamic Era
Starting from Barter system, seals used as coins by Indus Valley people, Punch Marked coins dated from 6th Century B.C., displaying some rare bar copper & silver coins, Indo Greeks including a rare bronze coin of Alexander the Great and several other unique coins, Indo Scythians, Indo Parthian, Kushans, Guptas, Indo Sassanians & Hindu Shahis.
Islamic Era
This part starts from the coinage of Arab Governors of Sindh, some rare Sultanate Coins, Mughal Coins, later Mughals, British Indian, and then coinage after 1947.
This includes a display of coin making techniques in Pakistan Mint, with some original display of dies, the process of coin making along some tools, some old machines, and a documentary covering the whole process of coin minting in Pakistan Mint.

Money Courie (Cypraea Moneta)

Found in the Indian and South Pacific Oceans, this shell was the first form of currency, first appeared in the Bronze Age, around 2,000 B.C. In the 9th and 10th centuries, it was traded by Arab merchants for gold and ivory along the east coast of Africa and later by Europeans until the late 19th century.

In India the Courie was important currency and even large transactions like the building of a property were paid in millions of Couries.
At one time they were part of the global economy as mutually agreed upon currency.

Indus Seals

The first urbanization was taken place during the Indus Valley phase & some urban centers came into existence. The surplus production of raw material & finished goods, led to Barter System. The huge granaries found in the cities of Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro were replenished by the system of State tribute & served the purpose of modern State Bank. A large number of stone weights following a weight system, unit of which was 13 grains have been discovered which are multiples of 2, 4, 8, 10 etc. of this unit.

The bronze/copper seals bearing different motifs and animal figurines are under debate since long. These seals carry a pictographic script which is still enigmatic and undecipherable. Some archeologists argue about their motive and are of the view that they were used as currency.
These intricately carved seals are usually square to rectangular, 2-3 centimeters on sides, differ in sizes. These seals depict animals, mostly Indus script. These seals could potentially be one way of marking the property and monitoring the movement of assets between owner and entities.

Ratti

Panini, Sanskrit grammarian (500 BCE), mentioned that concept of coinage in India existed much earlier than 500 BCE. He mentioned Satamanas (Sata = 100, manas = unit) & karshapana (sub fraction). Each unit was called “Ratti” weighing 0.11 grams. Ratti was average weight of Gunja Seed (a bright red seed with black tip).

Gold Coins
Islamic Gold coinage is comprised of Mughal, Sultenate, Ummayeds, Abbasids, British and Pakistani commemorative coins.

Muhammad Bin Sam Obverse: Lailla’ha illal’ah Muhammad Rasool’ul’lah (P.B.U.H), Al-Nasir’uddin’ullah, Ameer’ul Muminin
Reverse: Al-Sultan ul’Azam Mauz’uduniya W’aldin Abu al’muzafar Muhammad bin Sam.

Tipu Sultan: Obverse: 1216, (AM) Zarb Pattan
Reverse: Aranic Character “Hay” with doted border.

Aurangzeb Alamgir Obverse: Alamgir Aurangzeb
Shah Zad Chu Mehr Munir Sikkah Dar Jahan
Reverse: Manus Maimnat San33 jalus zarb Surat.

Taimur Shah
Obverse: Zarb Dar-ul Saltanate Herat
Reverse: Charkh mi arad tala wa noqra az Khurshid wa mah ta kand bar chahrah naqsh sikkah, Taimur Shah

Rs. 500 denomination coins was issued in 1976 to commemorate the 100th Birth anniversary of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. It was mintage by M/S. Italcambio, Venezuela.

In 1600, East India Company was founded, with the initial settlement in Surat in 1612. It had three broad grouping/presidencies: First, Western India comprised of Bombay and Surat, with coins struck along Mughal as well as English patterns; Second, South India comprising of Madras, with the coins struck South Indian lines both in design and metrology (Pagoda) and Mughal Style and; Third, Bengal coinage developed along the Mughal pattern.
In 1717 AD, the English obtained permission from the Emperor Farruksiyar to Coin Mughal money at the Bombay Mint. The gold coins were termed Carolina, the Silver Anglina, the copper coins Cupperon and tin coins Tinny.
A Coinage Act was passed in 1835 to issue uniform coinage. In 1692, first coin bearing a Persian inscription was issued, Aurangzeb got offended, due to which the experiment was stopped.
In 1717, the British got the right to strike their own rupees in the name of the Mughal Emperor.
In 1786, Matthew Boulton designed coin stamping machine, which could strike 120 coins per minute. In 1792, he made coins for East India Company i.e. 6 years before British Mint

King William IV: EIC during his monarchy issued the coins with his effigy in all three Presidencies in all three metals Gold, Silver & Copper. In 1835, newly designed coins with effigy of William IV on the obverse and the value on the reverse in English and Persian were issued. Victoria Queen: After the War of Independence in 1857, the government was transferred from the EIC to the Crown & in 1877, Victoria became Empress of India. The coins issued after 1840 bore the portrait of Queen Victoria. The first coinage under the Crown issued in 1862 & in 1877. Edward VII: He succeeded Queen Victoria and the coins issued bore his effigy. The special feature of these coins is, all coins (except 1 anna 1906- 1910) of them depict King Edward without a crown, due to the fact that the original dies of the coins were prepared before King Edward’s Coronation, which happened in August 1902.

The Development of Coins in Pakistan
At the time of independence, Pakistan did not have its own coinage. It was agreed that the banknotes and currency that was in circulation before partition will remain in circulation till Pakistan Government issues its own coinage.
The coinage of Pakistan underwent a complete change in design and arrangement. The pattern by large was as in neighboring Islamic countries. It had ‘Tughra’ in Urdu on the obverse with inscription “Govt. of Pakistan” in English. It was designed by Mr. P.W. Burende. On the reverse of nickel rupee, its half and quarter, is the value in words, surmounted by a crescent and star. The same order was used on the copper – nickel, two anna & one anna coins, the former was with a square outline and later with fluted edges. The bronze paisa had a central piecing, having inscription on either side. In 1953, new coins of one anna, half anna & one paisa were introduced on which the tughra and crescent and star were combined, value inscribed within a wreath or between two corn ears.

One Pice
Half Anna
One Rupee

In 1961, the Government of Pakistan decided to adopt the decimal system for its coinage. The rupee was divided into hundred paisas. New coins of one paisa, five paisa, & ten paisa were minted with the same devices and style. The main unit of one paisa was circular piece. In May 1964, two new coins, of one and two paisa were issued with the same design and arrangement. The one paisa coin became slightly bigger while the two paisa coin had the fluted corners.
The current coins consist of 1 rupee Muhammad Ali Jinnah coin, the second coin is of 2 rupee firstly issued in 1998. The 2 rupee coins were initially issued with the mosque on the reverse having no clouds. Later, three clouds were added in 1999, and the same design is being followed now. In December 2002, 5 rupee coin was issued. Latest in series are new aluminum coins of 1 rupee and 2 rupees issued in 2008.

The writer is Customs, Tariff and Trade Expert

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