YOUNGNUMIS: January 2017

Test Marks on Indian coins

At times it is necessary to check the hardness of the coin die, planchets and finished coins in order to ensure that they are neither too soft nor too hard. A die that is too soft will have a shorter life span and the one which is too hard will be brittle.

Die Hardness Test Marks

After the mint prepares a coin die, they perform the Vickers hardness test on it. The machine has a probe (needle) that presses against the surface of the die. The depth to which the needle can penetrate under a specified pressure is measured on a dial and it gives an idea of surface hardness. The needle leaves a pyramidal mark on the die which then shows up on the coin. The mark slowly disappears as the die wears out, so coins struck later on in the life of the die may not show them. These marks maybe found on the obverse or reverse of the coin depending on where the test was performed. Some coins may have multiple test marks. Coins with these marks are neither 'rare' nor 'scarce'.

Image Courtesy - Joseph Kunnappally

Vickers Hardness Test

A needle leaves a pyramidal dent on the die surface
Image Courtesy : gordonengland

Privy Mark - A Misconception

People often refer die hardness test marks as privy marks which is totally wrong. Privy mark is a small mark or difference in the design of a coin for the purpose of identifying the mint, Nowadays these are used as a design and marketing feature. Test and privy marks are entirely different. Test marks maybe collectible for some, but doesn't deserve to be categorized as "Rare" or "Scarce" neither they should be sold at premium prices.

So what privy really is?

In the West, it notes issues for private enterprise. Mainly used as a design and marketing feature. For example the mint in Canada offers to put a company logo on silver rounds which is called a privy mark. It is applied to working dies and not the master die.

Privy mark on a Canadian coin.
Source - Royal Canadian Mint

Finally...

Republic India coin collectors think that only Mumbai and Kolkata Govt mints have these so-called "Privy Marks" but example for Hyderabad and Noida mint coins with test mark(s) are known. Even examples for Indian Princely State and Pakistan test mark coins are known.

Many British India coin books have attributed the “tiny diamond-shaped pyramid marks” appearing on the 2 annas, 1 anna and the ½ anna of 1946, as the identifying mint marks for the Lahore Mint in 1946. No evidence in support of this hypothesis is found, and rightly so as there is none. It is conjecture. Those marks are also "Test Marks". This will be discussed in the upcoming sequel.

Please note that marks similar to test marks are produced due to pitted dies and die chips. The way to differentiate is complex and will be discussed in the next post... Stay tuned..!

Special thanks to Joseph Kunnappally for the Photograph

Continued on Test Marks Part 2

Co- Author

[30/01/2017]

New Author.!

I am happy to announce a new co-author to the blog. He is a pioneer in Indian Numismatics, famous for his research and amazing collection.

Mr. Mitresh Singh

He will be publishing articles from time to time on ancient as well as the medieval coinage of India.
I thank him for putting himself in on this small platform. Please sign up for our email form to receive his article emailed directly to your inbox.

Mitresh Singh and His Love for Indian Coins
51-year-old Mitresh Singh from Dubai has a collection of 2000 Indian coins from various time periods, dynasties, and empires from 600BC to the present date. He stated that he has learned about economic, political, social, religious and cultural aspects of India through his hobby. He also believes that coins talk about history, archaeology, sculptures, anthropology, sociology, religion, weapons of war etc.
Singh started collecting coins at the age of seven. He started by borrowing foreign coins form a British couple during his family trip to Shimla. The first coin he got was a gold-coloured nickel-brass three penny coin. From that point, he got attracted to varieties, shapes, patterns and textures of coins. He also explored the historical stories behind them. He got fascinated by Indian coins during his schools years and started taking his hobby more seriously in his late 30s.
His collection consists of coins that were issued by “Janapadas” in 600BC, the Mauryan Empire in 300BC, Indo-Greek coins after Alexander’s invasion of India in 326BC. He also has a series of Punch Mark Coins (PMC), gold coins from Gupta Empire, and the gold coins from the Mughal Empire. Singh builds his collection by participating in international and national public auctions, online live auctions, and through social media channels.

Regards.

Arpit

The Golden Guptas: Chandragupta-II Archer Type Dinar

An Extremely Fine Chandragupta-II Archer Coin

Chandragupta II Vikramaditya, 380-414 AD, Gold Dinar, 7.75g, Archer Type

The above coin of Chandragupta II Vikramaditya is a celebration of the exquisite and sublime skills of the artist who designed the die for this coin which demonstrates why the Gupta Age is called the golden period of Indian history. This time period saw all round development in science, astronomy, poetry, sculptor, metallurgy etc and coinage was no different with original coins bearing Indian motifs introduced by the Guptas.

The above coin is more of a tribute to the skills and artistry of the die engraver than the image that the coin itself bears. In the above coin, the die cutter has managed to achieve the following objectives simultaneously:

1. The features of the King is portrayed as extremely youthful. 'Chir-Yauvana' or Eternal Youth is an elixir that mankind, and more so the Ruler, has sought since time immemorial. This coin shows how the die cutter wishes the King to be remembered amongst his subjects and for posterity as a handsome youthful King.

2. The body of the King is lithe, supple, muscular and well proportioned. This complements and brings out the relative youthfulness of the King. I can almost visualize the thoughts running in the die engravers mind as he thinks of the message to be conveyed by this coin 'Hail the King, Glory be to Him, our benevolent King, our Protector, the Strong and Valiant Chandragupta'.

3. The King exudes an aura of energy, vigour and vitality even as he stands in the 'dvibhanga' pose (head and torso inclined to the right with lower limbs in opposite direction, a common feature applied in Indian sculptor and classical dance, especially Odissi). The King appears calm, composed and serene. This is a delicate balance that has admirably been achieved by the die cutter. You can actually sense the King trying to communicate with you and about to step out of the coin to hold your hand and draw you back into time.

4. The King holding a Bow in his left arm while drawing an Arrow from his right hand only accentuates the powerful image of the King as a young, energetic warrior who is well disposed and endowed with the bodily strength to overcome his enemies and detractors. Symbolically, the bow and arrow represent the female and male energy as also love and death-wish, respectively. It is well acknowledged that a person has manifestations of both the feminine and masculine aspects that reveal themselves interchangeably. The soft features of the King together with his slender frame accentuates the feminine aspect while the weapons of war amplifies his masculinity. The die engraver has blended these two concepts perfectly.

5. The swaying 'mudra' or pose of the standing King is a feature of Gupta coins to reflect the King as divine and higher than a mere mortal as a man's body is imperfect being straight, rigid and stiff. The graceful sway is achieved by giving a curve or twist at the neck (head) and waist (out thrust hips), the Dvibhanga pose, or the neck, waist and knee, the Tribhanga pose. This is done to reflect that the King's body is aligned alike to the statues of the Gods and Goddesses at the temple with which the common man can more closely associate the King's divinity. The die cutter has achieved this admirably.

6. Similarly, the image of the Goddess on the Reverse is slim and sensual without being erotic. The Goddess holds a flower by a short stalk in her upraised left arm, a 'pasa' or noose in her right hand and sits in the yogic 'Padmasana' posture atop a Lotus. It must be remembered that these symbols on the coin are a depiction of the iconographic manifestation of the ancient Hindu philosophy. The Lotus flower blooms amidst the muck and filth of muddy swamps and marshes and symbolizes man's ability to rise, similar to the Lotus flower, from the dark depths of ignorance and gain happiness with the beauty and radiance of spiritual knowledge. The open flowers of the Lotus that blossoms and spreads out signifies the Sun, an essential life nourishing source as well as the light that destroys ignorance and illuminates wisdom. The 'pasa' (noose or lasso) signifies an attachment to worldly matters as well as the capability of the God to capture evil and (blind) ignorance.

Its a pity we do not have any details of the die engravers name in the historical records but given the finesse and fine style achieved in executing the portrayal of the King on the coin, I am certain he must have been a person held in high esteem for his die engraving skills. Perhaps he may even have been the same person who was also the chief architect of the fabulous temples built during the reign of Gupta Kings.

All in all, this is a great masterpiece of the Gupta miniature art on a Gold Coin of Chandragupta II Vikramaditya. It is my all time favourite coin simply because of the beautiful rendition of the Kings feature, body, posture and message it seeks to convey.

Mitresh Singh

Mysore Wodeyar

Denomination

XX (20) Cash

Metal

Copper

Weight

8.85 g

Year	1837/38 (?)

Diameter

20 mm

Shape

Round

Sardula, Sri Chamundi, sun & moon both the sides, Year 1838

"Krishna", zarb maisur Maili kasu 20 XX Cash

Ruler

Krishna Raja Wodeyar

Jaipur

Denomination

1/2 Paisa

Weight

3.2 g

Metal

Copper

Diameter

16 mm

Year

1943-44

Shape

Round

Legend in Persian: Ba Ahad, Shahenshah Sultanat Inglistan, George Shesham

Jhar leaf, RY22

Kushan

Vasudeva I

Metal

Copper

Weight

7.8 g

Shape

Irregular

Diameter

22 mm

Crowned, diademed king standing facing, nimbate, holding trident and sacrificing at altar at left, second trident above altar, Bactrian legend around: þAONANOþAO BA ... ZOΔηO KOþANO (King of Kings Bazodeo Kushan), nandipada in right field / Two-armed Shiva standing facing, holding trident and diadem, Bull Nandi left behind, Bactrian legend left: OηþO, tamgha at right Göbl 1004, MAC 3491
This variety features the nandipada in the right obverse field.

Information Courtesy - http://coinindia.com/galleries-vasudeva.html