Numis Indica Issue 003/November-December 2009
Numis Indica is Published by the Indian Coins Encyclopedia Project Edited by Shastri JC Philip, This Net Journal Is Released Under Creative Commons Copyright
Editorial
One reason that keeps many people away from coin collection
Freeing Numismatics From Money !
and numismatics is the cost factor: almost all coins displayed for sales are very expensive, and almost all books and periodicals are beyond the reach of the average coin-lover. This effectively keeps a large number of potential collectors and researchers away from this field. The problem of cost needs to be addressed if more people are to enter this field. Te Indian coin-collection and numismatic fraternity needs a larger inflow of enthusiasts. One method is to offer coins and books on discount, but this might not always be possible due to the actual costs involved in a specialized field like coins. Another approach would be to harness the power of the net to make information available either very cheap or free. Numis Indica has chosen the last option – to make information available totally free. This is not easy because one does not get computers, internet, coins, cameras, server space and bandwith free. Yet we have decided to beat these odds to make this periodical available totally free.
Chandragupta II On Horseback (Gold Coin)
What is more, we have placed it in the Creative Commons copyright so that our readers are free to distribute this EMagazine. They can even reprint these articles in any medium, provided they add the correct citation and acknowledgement. This is a Mission born out a Vision to make the history of Indian coins known worldwide. We therefore urge our readers to introduce this publication to at least 5 persons every month. We also invite potential authors to send articles on any and every aspect of Indian coins. We publish on any subject related to Indian Coins, provided it is written in a manner understandable to the average reader. Please do contact us. You will be doing a service to Mother India by contributing articles.
Shastri JC Philip Kumaragupta Fighting an Animal
Chief Editor
Coins of Kerala 001
Of all the coins produced in India in the last 3000 years, the coins of Kerala are unique in a number of ways. First of all, only very few of them have survived because of the reasons explained below. Second, up to AD 1000 or even 1200, this state faced an unusual number of upheavals and subjugation of various kingdoms outside Kerala. In this midst of this arose around 1000 AD what can be called coins that are unique to Kerala. The Background: Kerala at the south-western tip of India has had a flourishing trade in elephants, ivory, spices, and perfumes at least for the last 4000 years. Most of this trade was with foreign merchants who visited Kerala in ships. Thus this was a very lucrative trade for them. While barter system has always existed in Kerala, trade with foreign merchants was done mostly using non Indian metallic currency. Silver and gold pieces and foreign coins made of these two metals played the major part in it. Since precious metals had a certain well established intrinsic value in every era, international trade based upon the absolute value of the metal was easy. Thus Kerala had no currency exchange problem with the foreign traders even before the era of indigenous Indian coins started around 1000 BC. Gold and silver were the standard currency.
The Obverse and Revers of a Veera Kerala Varma silver coin with legged in Nagari letters. The ancient Nagari letter are obvious. The first letter on both sides of the top coin are "Shri". The same is the first letter on the obverse of the bottom coin. A spider is clearly visible on the reverse of the coin
It is estimated that a good amount of the precious metal that came to Kerala in this manner has eventually been melted and reassimilated because of all the Indian states, the state of Kerala has a craze for gold and silver ornaments. Even in this twentieth century one can see women in Kerala wearing a total of 80 to 160 grams of gold in normal life and 160 to 320 grams during festivals (these numbers are based upon a multiple of 8, used commonly in weighing gold ornaments in Kerala). Thus a good amount of history in the form of gold and silver coins has already vanished. The coins produced locally have another history, because of which they are also not very forthcoming. First, the local business was based upon the barter system and also gold and silver. Obviously neither of them have left much trace. What is more, the climate of Kerala region destroys coins soon. There is rain 170 days an year. Relative Humidity can reach 95% and above. Thus coins and metal implements corrode and destroy quickly, and because of this hoards buried for hundreds of years would become totally useless. Even today Kerala tops in the corrosion and even eventual disappearance of metallic implements left in the ground. Of what might be left from all this, very few have been discovered because
Kerala has not been investigated much by the Archaeological Survey of India. As a consequence, Kerala has come to the numismatic map of India only very recently. The Earliest Coins: The earliest coins, found only on rare occasions in Kerala, are the Sangam coins. Kerala was under Tamil dominion almost up to 800 AD, and even after that there were periods of Tamil dominion from place to place in this region. That is why Sangam coins happen to be the earliest attested coins in Kerala of Indian origin. Around 1000 AD many local rulers started to usurp their independence and authority. While this did not result in uniform independence throughout the region today known as Kerala, it did bring greater power to many local rulers. They in turn expressed their authority by issuing coins somewhat independent of Tamil rulers. Coins of Venad: The southern part of what is today called Kerala was one of the first to issue coins that can be called independent Kerala coins. Of what have survived, silver coins dominate because silver being a resistant material has survived the vagaries of the climate better. Of these silver coins, the coins with
(surprisingly) Nagari legend are the more common ones. Also they happen to be aesthetically very attractive. Several silver coins of the king Jayasimhadev who ruled in the beginning of the tenth century AD.
The Obverse and Revers of a Veera Kerala Varma silver coin with legged in Nagari letters. Some silver coins of Vira Kerala Varma (1127-1155 AD), Udayamarthanda Varma (1175-1195 AD) have also been discovered, but they are not voluminous yet. Gold coins also came into use from 12th century, but their find has been rarer than that of silver. What is more, many coins in private family treasured are feared to have been melted for sales or for making ornaments. Kerala region is known for its thirst of gold ornaments. Many Chola and Pandya coins also have been found from periods dating after the tenth century AD, and it shows that total independence had not come yet to the Kerala region. A larger number of Kerala region coins needs to be discovered and studied before a comprehensive picture emerges.
The author, Shastri JC Philip is an expert in quantum-nuclear physics, communication, and archeology. He specializes in numismatics as part of archeology. He has devoted his life to popularize Indian coins and almost all material produced by him in electronic form can be downloaded free of cost.
Coins Resources Introduction/Review Of Coin/Numismatic Resources
In this regular column we will introduce those resources that will help you learn more about coins.
The articles are highly informative, and the clarity of pictures is so good that one has to see them to believe.
In this issue we would like to introduce a totally free net-based resource produced by a highly trained and knowledgeable numismatist.
You can join as a charter member by paying Rs. 250 and we encourage you to do so. This will go a long way to support another periodical and publishing house that is dedicated to Indian Numismatics.
You can see this resource at www.Gullak.in , it is an online PDF magazine known as Gullak. Gullak in Hindi language means PiggyBank, and is definitely a very attractive name for a journal devoted to popularize the world of coins. Two PDF issues have come out so far, and coin collectors as well as numismatists worldwide are in for a sumptuous meal if these two issues are an indication of things to come. The first issue has 8 information-packed pages of articles, news, and pictures. The second issue also has a variety of articles, news, and a liberal sprinkling of pictures. If a picture is worth a thousand words in normal life, then in numismatics it would serve for ten thousand words. Gullak spares no efforts to bring crisp and clear pictures to its readers.
The editor Dr. Dilip Rajgor is known to everyone in the coin/numismatics fraternity. He is a PhD in archeology and is a specialist in Indian Numismatics. He has published numerous articles and books. His work on classification of silver Punch Marked Coins is a classic. While you are on Gullak, you should also take time to visit www.reeshabooks.com where you can order the ICS Newsletter edited by Dr. Rajgor. Dr. Rajgor seems to be shy of cameras because we could not locate many of his photographs. Fortunately, he is not shy of writing, and the world of Indian Numismatics is very rich because of his pen. May his pen (keyboard) keep active and may it be blessed!!
What Is Patina? Patina is the oxidized metal that coats many ancient bronze and copper coins. It is usually green, but can be many colors including blue and red. The main reason you want to preserve it is that it is usually attractive and the coin under the patina usually isn't as nice. A coin with an attractive patina is often worth more than a coin that does not have a patina at all. A common coin, like a common Constantine dynasty AE3, that has been stripped of its patina down to bare shinny metal is almost worthless. See the extended definition below: Patina is that beautiful and brilliant kind of time-created varnish, of a green or brownish color, which covers the surface of some ancient brass medals. It prevents them from deteriorating, and is regarded as an evidence of antiquity. The agreeable appearance of this splendid rust, having rendered it particularly desirable to the taste of the Italians, they gave it the name of Patina verde, as counterfeiting the emerald. The French numismatists introduced the expression
into their own language by calling it Patine.
An amazing rare blue patina. Coins with a blue patina must be treated gently. Most coins this color are soft chalky and damaged. Not this one.
Because it is desirable patina may be imitated to improve the appearance of coins. Patina does not, however, readily attach itself to brass and copper: this depends much on the state of the soil in which the medals have lain for ages. The fabricators of false coins have endeavoured to imitate it with salammoniac, vinegar and other artificial compounds; but a coating of this kind is easily removed, and it is by no means difficult to detect the fraud. On the other hand the genuine patina becomes so inherent to the metal that it would be impossible to scrape it off without injuring the metal which it covers.
A chocolate patina, lightly worn on the high-points highlighting the design...wow!
False patina is in general black, coarse, and glossy or the color of verdigris, tender to the point of any sharp instrument. The genuine patina or antique encrustation is most often extremely brilliant and hard as the metal itself.
Some more sophisticated false patinas are made by applying ground genuine patina material in binding medium or using other more advanced chemical methods. Sometimes, but rarely for an experienced collector, the result is convincing. Even the most convincing false patina is more likely than the genuine to wear or peel over time. Any coin with a false patina must be examined carefully to ensure the coin itself is genuine and to detect any tooling. The novice, unfamiliar with genuine patina must be cautious before condemning patina as artificial. Genuine patina can be softer, particularly if it is blue. A black patina is very often genuine and formed naturally in the desert soils of the the middle east.
called horn silver. Horn silver is exceedingly difficult to remove and under the protruding oxide the silver is severely damaged because the oxide is made up mostly of the silver of the coin.
Sometimes a coin can be improved by removing an uneven patina...not usually...not this one.
A very attractive lime green.
Powdery light green deposits, particularly in pits in the coin, are not patina but are an indicator of harmful oxidation, commonly referred to as bronze disease. Such coins must be treated to prevent further damage. Silver coins do not develop patina. Silver darkens with age, which is referred to as toning. Thick black silver oxides, similar to patina, can develop in areas on a coin or cover it entirely. This is
A touch of red. Some have said this is artificial and the coin is tooled. It is from the same hoard as the Agrippa as the coin above. Most of the high-grade Agrippa ases in collections today are likely from this same hoard. It is not tooled and the patina is natural. Red is most often an indicator of harmful corrosion but in this case it is very thin red toning or patina on copper similar to that of highly collectible red U.S. pennies.
Notice some encrustation remains, but this coin is perfect the way it is!
Like all the coins on this page, this one is worth far more with this beautiful patina than it would be without it.
Near black highlighted by a red earthen fill (that is red dirt). Would you clean it? I hope not.
This blue-green must at least double the value.
Hopefully, you have the an idea what a patina is now and why it shouldn't be removed. http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Patina
Numis Indica is a review journal to popularize Indian Coins and Indian Numismatics. The journal is available under Creative Commons Copyright for reuse. You are encouraged to distribute it from your own website.
We invite articles on all aspects of Indian Coins. Articles are also welcome on general numismatics. Kindly send the article in electronic format to Shastri.JCPhilip@Gmail.com
Numis India is edited by Shastri JC Philip who is a specialist in Physics, Apologetics, and Middle/Far Eastern Archeology and numismatics. For Free Ebooks, Journal, articles, pictures and other free downloads on Indian Coins, Please do visit today itself: http://www.CoinsEncyclopedia.org