Coins Treasure World: 14 Selected coins

1. Uniform coinage of India: Pre Independence Coins

Prior to 1835 A.D., the East India Company issued coins in Bengal Presidency, Bombay Presidency and Madras Presidency. These coins were circulated in local area for use in the local trade.

For any particular value, the coins circulated in different areas of India were of different weight, fineness and size. In order to remove this chaotic condition, East India Company decided to introduce a uniform coinage in the territories of the company.

All the details of the new coinage were laid down by Act XVIII of 1835. As per this act the weight of the rupee coin was standardized at 180 grains troy (1 Tola) and its fineness at 11/12 (i.e. 165 grains of pure silver and 15 grains of alloy). The rupee coin would bear the effigy of the then king of United Kingdom.

2. Standard Silver Rupee: Specifications

Weight- 180 grains

Metal composition- 165 grains of pure silver and 15 grains of alloy

Diameter – 1.3”

Shape - Circular

Edge – milled

Obverse – (Obv) effigy of the then king or queen of United Kingdom

Reverse – (Rev) Value of the coin

1835 – 1840 (King William IIII)

Obv - Head of William IV with the legend “WILLIAM IIII KING”

Rev – Value of the coin in English & Persian -

Legend - EAST INDIA COMPANY

1877 - 1901, (Victoria Empress)

After the Indian mutiny in 1857, the administration of India was transferred from East India Company to a Council of state under British crown. In the year 1858 Victoria was proclaimed as the queen of Great Britain and colonies.

Diameter – Changed from 1.3” to 1.2”

Reverse – Value of the coin in English only.

Legend “EAST INDIA COMPANY” removed

On 1.1.1877 Queen Victoria assumed the title of “Empress of India”. Hence the inscription on the Rupee and other coins was changed from “Victoria Empress”.

1901 - 1910, (King Edward VII)

Obv – Uncrowned head of King Edward VII

Legend “EDWARD VII KING & EMPEROR”

Rev – Crown of the king, coin value in English and Persian and a floral design.

1911 - 1936, (King George V)

King George V was coronated on 22^nd June, 1911 after the death of his father King Edward VII. Rupee coins were issued bearing his effigy from 1911 to 1922. No rupee coin was issued from 1923 to 1936.

1940 - 1945, (King George VI)

Obverse – Crowned head of King George VI

Legend - GEORGE VI KING EMPEROR

Quaternary Silver Rupee:

The 2^nd World War started in 1939. Due to the war the price of silver rose high. The metal value of the silver rupee coin surpassed its face value. Hence the Government decided to issue rupee and other Standard Silver coins in quaternary alloy.

Metal composition -

Silver 50 %

Copper 40 %

Nickel 5 %

Zinc 5 %

Years of issue – 1940 to 1945

Pre Independence Coins -

East Africa coins

500 yen japan coin with encryption

There are micro characters incised on new 500-yen coins!

It's famous that various high technologies to prevent dud coins are adopted in minting new 500-yen coins. Perhaps many of the Japanese have tried seeing latent image of "500 Yen" that comes up with a specific angle of view. But I'm sure that there are not so many people who know the existence of micro characters on the coin.

A 500-yen coin, which is 26.5 mm in diameter, has micro characters on its surface. Each character is only 180-micro-meters-square in size. (180 micro meters = 0.18mm) How small is it ? If you fill the coin with the character, you can write in about 17,000 characters on a side of the coin. And it's too hard (some say possible with guts) to see the characters with naked eyes.

An enlarged image of the coin for gutless is below. The characters are incised inside the red frames. Following them in order, we'll find "NIPPON" (i.e. Japan in Japanese).

Singapore 2001 - Gold Coin $50

Swedish Sealed Mint Coins set - 1977

Coins Treasure World

Sunday, 3 March 2013

14 Selected coins

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