This catalogue provides an authoritative guide to the different major coinages of William IV, Victoria, Edward VII, George V and George VI, with detailed colour illustrations of each coin. This work is based upon that of Major Pridmore (The Coins of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Part 4 India) and has been authored by Dr Paul Stevens and Randy Weir. The authors aim to share their wealth of knowledge, experience and passion for these coins with collectors both old and new.
This important contribution about ancient coins in India has been written jointly by Osmund Bopearachchi and Wilfried Pieper. It is an impressive volume of 289 pages with 59 plates which presents a private collection of ancient coins patiently gathered trough the years. In Part one, W.Pieper develops a historical commentary about the earliest coinages of India, the imperial period of late Magadha and Maurya rule ( ca late IVth-early IInd centuries B.C.), Ujjain and Eran, the Satavahanas (ca Ist century B.C.-early IInd century A.D.), and tribal republics and kingdoms in post-Mauryan northern India ( ca 200 B.C-ca 300 A.D.). This commentary is followed by a detailed catalogue with very precise drawings of more than 600 coins and punch-marked coins. Part two by o. Bopearachhi is organized on the same pattern: a historical commentary about foreign powers in ancient northern India, from the Bactrian Greeks untill the time of the early Kushans followed by a precise catalogue presenting Greek, Graeco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek, Indo-Scythian, Indo-Parthian, and early Kushan coins (in fact, more than 300 specimens). The commentary intends to give a general overview of the coins concerned and of their historical context with a more extensive discussion of the series best represented in the collection. For the indigenous Indian coins this is specially true for the coinages of Ujjain, Eran, Taxila and Kausambi, many of which are new and published here for the first time.
The present book is an authoritative and authentic source for the study of Indian coins. It not only describes the coins but also studies them critically in all their aspects. The points which are dealth with here are on numismatic studies in India; Satamana and Sana; Kautilya and Buddhaghosa on coins; silver coins of Vasisthiputra Satakarni; alleged coins of the Mahisa kings; coins of semi-independent rulers; date of Isvaradatta's coins; Petluripalem hoard; some problems of tribal coins; coins of Kumaragupta I, Harigupta and Ramagupta; coins of Muhammad bin Sam and Prthviraja; coins of Kakatiya Prataparudra I; Gajapati Pagoda, Ganga Fanam and Ramatanka; coins of Bhairavasimha; Maratha mint under the Peshwas; Cowrie-shell, rupee and pice. In describing the features of a particular class of coins from the standpoint of standard, style and fabric or in discussing the significance of the numismatic terms, the author has utilized the literary data which have a bearing on them.
This book deals with the fact that coins form an important source of the history of ancient India; in fact, for certain periods, like those of the Indo-Greeks, the Saka-Pahlavas, and the Western Kshatrapas, monetary issues are almost the only source of our information.
Money, particularly coins, has been one of the most significant inventions in human society. It is a marvel developed through centuries of experimentation and innovation. Since its introduction, money has continually evolved, serving as both, a medium of exchange in daily life and a store of wealth for the future. Among the earliest forms of money were coins, valued for their intrinsic material content, such as gold, silver, iron, and copper. Coins have played a vital role in human civilization, and over time, Indian coins have undergone numerous design transformations. Many people are often surprised when they come across older coins, which reflect the rich history and cultural heritage of India. Motivated by this fascination, I decided to collect various Indian coins, arrange them chronologically, and present them in this book. It will be helpful for this generation and the coming generations to know the journey of Indian Coins from 1947-2024. It is the need of the hour, as our monetary system is on the way to digitalisation. It is possible that in few years, coins can only be seen in museums as relics of the past. This book serves as a guiding light, illuminating the glorious journey of Indian coins for all to see and appreciate.
This 392 page book is the most comprehensive study of the rich silver coinage of the Western Satraps ever written. The Western Satraps (also known as Indo-Sakas or Indo-Scythians) of Gujarat and the surrounding areas in Western India issued a plethora of beautiful rich coinage which until now has not been well understood outside of a small circle of specialists. This is the perfect guide for the new or experienced collector. The coins of the Western Satraps (also known as the "Western Kshatrapas") were issued for over three centuries (from the 1st century AD to the early 5th century AD) and covered thirty eight rulers from two distinct dynasties (Kshaharatas and Kardamakas). The book features: Hundreds of high quality photographs showing every type and most varieties Detailed historical notes on the Western Satraps and related histories Detailed explanation on how to read the Saka Era dates on these coins, with every year spelled out and explained Detailed explanations and help with the Brahmi and Kharoshti spelling, with every inscription written out and explained Numerous coin types and varieties never published before Line drawings for each type with full transliterations of the Brahmi inscriptions Notes on the rarity and importance of each type Price guide, with current Western market values given for most of the coins Short survey of the successor coinage - later silver coins based on the Kshatrapa design A survey of existing literature About the author Dr. Fishman is a professional numismatist and world-renowned expert on ancient Indian coins.
