Last year I added an addendum page to my study - Modern Dime Size Silver Coins of the World.
Well, as the saying goes, I did it again. Last night at the local coin club meeting, one of the members, who regularly buys collections – cherry picks the best item for resale on eBay, and brings the leftovers to the club auction, had a notebook of coins, which he was showing to a few members, while the auction was being set up.
Although I regular help with the auction, I had arrived early and had the opportunity to look through this book of the remainder coins. Not much there of interest, but I did see one small Indian Princely State item, I had not seen before. After purchasing it along with a duplicate of another coin, I took it home.
Today, after pulling out my Standard World Catalog and re-reading the A.H. and V.S. dates, I determined, the previous owner had it properly attributed, but it was new for my collection.
JUNAGADH Indian Princely States
1 Kori - 4.60 grams - Ag - 17mm
AH 1274 VS1914 (1857) C-43 KM-23 Frozen inscription of Mughal Emperor Muhammed Akbar after his death in AH1253 (1837).
In serfing the internet, I found a listing on Indian eBay of a 1 Kori from Junagadh. The picture is shown as follows for comparison:
This coin is engraved in a different style, and with a different date - The second one has exactly the same inscription, but the date is AH1276 / VS1915 (1858). As dies were hand cut and new dies prepared for every new date/issue (the use of punches at the time were very limited) there can be significant differences between the issues from one year and the other.
FOOTNOTE: Junagadh breathes history. The edicts, set up by Ashoka, the Great Indian Emperor, date back 2200 years. Within the ancient fort of Uparkot,are the architectural marvels of Hindu Chudasma rulers and Muslim Mohmud Beghda which coexisted in perfect harmony. The majestic Mohabatkhan Maqbara, a memorial to Junagadh's Babi Ruler and the Veritable Darbar Hall Museum show that Junagadh continued to make history untill as recently as 100 years ago.
Junagadh Indian Princely State (pop. c. 1921 - 465,493), Kathiawar peninsula, western India, on the Arabian Sea. Agriculture is important; cotton, wheat, and millet are grown there, and there is an important fishing industry. Junagadh was wrested from the Mughal Empire in the mid-18th cent. by Sher Khan Babi, a Muslim who established a dynasty that was later supported by the British.
The town of Junagadh (pop. - 167,110) is located at the foot of the Girmar Hills. Literally translated, its name means "Old Fort", and was formerly the Princely State capital. It is also a market for gold and silver embroidery, copper and brass vessels. The town has ancient Buddhist caves and Rajput forts. Nearby is the Gir forest, where the only wild lions in India survive.
My thanks to numismatists from the SouthAsia Group
