Evolution of Numismatic Art in India

Kingdom

Features

Technology

Material used

Mauryan Empire

• Punch-marked coins with symbols and punch marks.

• Large-sized coins with irregular shapes.

• Lack of inscriptions.

Hand-striking technique using simple tools. Use of metal blanks and punches to create the coin designs.

Primarily silver and copper

Satavahana Dynasty

• Coins with a variety of symbols, including animals, deities, and royal portraits.

• Introduction of more artistic detailing in coin designs.

• Inscriptions identifying rulers, their titles etc. 

• Coins bearing the metronymic gotra.

• Coins circulated in pockets and were region-specific.

Use of the die-struck technique for more precise and standardized coinage.

Silver, Copper, etc.

Indo-Greek Kingdom

• Coins combining Greek and Indian elements, featuring portraits of Greek rulers, Greek deities, and bilingual inscriptions.

• Blending of Greek realistic portraiture and Indian artistic elements.

• Inscriptions in Greek and Pali scripts.

• These coins were notable because they included precise information on the issuing monarch, the year of release etc.

• The Indo-Greek struck multilingual coins in both the Greek "round" and Indian "square" standards

Cast coinage (coins made by pouring melted metal into a mould)

Introduction of Gold coins

Gupta Empire

• Exquisite artistry, portraits of Gupta rulers, and intricate designs.

• Introduction of new coin denominations and standards.

• Depiction of deities, symbols, and legends in Brahmi script.

• The Gupta Coins were more creative and superior in workmanship than their counterparts.

• The quantity of gold coins highlights the economy's thriving status.

Use of sophisticated tools for precise detailing and uniform coinage.

Gold, Silver, Copper

Delhi Sultanate and Mughals

• Arabic inscriptions, including the Kalima (Islamic declaration of faith) and the names of the ruling sultans.

• Depiction of Islamic motifs, such as the star and crescent, mosque, or calligraphic verses from the Quran.

• Introduction of new coin denominations, including the Tanka and Jital, reflecting the influence of Central Asian coinage

• Since idolatry was prohibited in Islam, the coins did not feature any images of the issuing king.

• Sher Shah Suri established two weight standards, one for silver and one for copper. These were given the names rupee and dam, respectively.

Quantitative assaying by refining

Copper, silver and gold coins.