The present book is an authoritative and authentic source for the study of Indian coins. It not only describes the coins but also studies them critically in all their aspects. The points which are dealth with here are on numismatic studies in India; Satamana and Sana; Kautilya and Buddhaghosa on coins; silver coins of Vasisthiputra Satakarni; alleged coins of the Mahisa kings; coins of semi-independent rulers; date of Isvaradatta's coins; Petluripalem hoard; some problems of tribal coins; coins of Kumaragupta I, Harigupta and Ramagupta; coins of Muhammad bin Sam and Prthviraja; coins of Kakatiya Prataparudra I; Gajapati Pagoda, Ganga Fanam and Ramatanka; coins of Bhairavasimha; Maratha mint under the Peshwas; Cowrie-shell, rupee and pice. In describing the features of a particular class of coins from the standpoint of standard, style and fabric or in discussing the significance of the numismatic terms, the author has utilized the literary data which have a bearing on them.

The Western Indian Ocean in the Eighteenth Century is the first of four volumes offering a sweeping panorama of the Arabian Seas during the early modern period. Focusing on the period 1700-1763, the first volume concentrates on daily life in littoral societies, examining long term issues including climatic change, famine, and the structures of fishing communities. The volume examines littoral societies in each of the major coastal areas of the Western Indian Ocean: East Africa, the Red Seas, the Persian Gulf, and its traditional ties to surrounding hinterlands as well as to the west coast of India. While having particular interest to readers concerned with Indian Ocean history, as an absorbing and innovative account of a much neglected albeit critical area and period, Arabian Seas, 1700-1763 will be of great interest to anyone interested in early modern maritime, social, or economic history. Kings, Gangsters, and Companies, volume two of Arabian Seas, 1700-1763 focuses on European relations with the major states and societies of the Western Indian Ocean during the eighteenth century. As such, it traces the major structural changes in African, South Asian, and Middle Eastern societies during this period. Chapters examine European communities and their relations with the societies of the Indian Ocean basin, the daily life of European soldiers and merchants, relations with Indian women, European views on the Indian caste system as well as the governmental systems they encountered. The volume also details the importance of Indian and Persian merchant communities in the Indian Ocean trading system and the impact of war on the economic development of this system during the eighteenth century. Men and Merchandise, the third volume of Arabian Seas, 1700-1763, provides a detailed examination of the economic and social structures in the Western Indian Ocean focusing on key commodities like bullion, textiles, and the slave trade. Readers will also encounter interesting vignettes of daily life: an Indian nautch girl worried about her inheritance, a Portuguese gangster-friar and pariah workers, the infamous buccaneers of Madagascar, coffee-traders from Yemen, Cairo, and the Crimea, and Iraqi and Iranian bankers who all had relevance to this vast economic system. Men and Merchandise provides insights into other traditionally ignored aspects in the traditional historiography including uprisings aboard slave ships, and details of maroon societies involving refugee slaves in India and Mauritius as well as Dutch slave soldiers in the Persian Gulf. As such, it will prove of great interest to any reader concerned with the social and economic history of the Indian Ocean basin. Europe in Asia, the fourth volume and final volume in Arabian Seas, 1700-1763, details the early phase of European territorial empire building in the western Indian Ocean basin. Particular attention is given to the much neglected history of the Portuguese Estado da India and the attempts of the Portuguese Crown to reform its administration and dwindling possessions in the eighteenth century. The volume examines the direct legacies of the longstanding Portuguese imperial presence in the Arabian Seas, including the experiences of Indian Catholic communities as well as the establishment of Indian settlements and communities in East Africa. Finally, the volume provides an exhaustive treatment of the structures and history of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and English East India Company (EIC), the establishment of the vast private co...

The 19th Century produced some of the most popular coinage in world monetary history, as evidenced by the number of high-profile auctions worldwide bringing record prices and further driving demand for these classic coins. The Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, is designed to meet the needs of researchers, collectors, auctioneers and dealers of this vast range of coins produced during the critically important time. With a more than 40 year tradition of excellence in the hobby, the Standard Catalog of World Coins gathers and vets data from more than 140 worldwide experts to produce the most respected and referenced resource on the subject. Featuring 27,500 actual-size images, the volume covers all mint-issue coins of the world, as well as tokens, patterns, sets and more. Arranged alphabetically by country, each coin listing provides: • Current values listed by date, variety and grade • Universal KM reference number • Detailed descriptions of obverse and reverse designs • Clear images to aid in identification What's more, coins struck in gold, platinum and silver are detailed with: • Total coin weight • Fineness • Actual precious metal weight

The decline of the Mughal Empire, the political ascendency of the British East India Company, a number of revivalist powers (the Sikhs, the Marathas, the Rohillas, etc.), and a large number of Indian princely states, resulted in redrawing the political spaces across India. In the process, the minting rights of the titular Mughal king and of the neo-independent Indian princely rulers were severely curbed by the dominant colonial power, both for political as well as economic reasons. The territorial expansion of the British Empire in India was invariably followed by the abolition of the native mints and the introduction of the imperial currency in the annexed territories. Indeed, the ‘sikka’ followed the flag. By presenting the monetary history of this period, this volume seeks to address some of the questions, viz. the effect of money supply on trade, prices of commodities and services, wage structures in different regions as well as on the administrative and military health of a political power. In this unique anthology, published studies along with unpublished archival records have been integrated into an overall theme. Together with a comprehensive bibliography-cum-list for further readings this volume is aimed to serve as a veritable reference tool.

In this book, Dr Stewart Gordon presents a comprehensive history of one of the most colourful and least-understood kingdoms of India: the Maratha Empire. The empire was founded by Shivaji in the mid-seventeenth century, spread across most of India during the following century, and was conquered by the British in the nineteenth century. Using administrative documents of the Maratha polity, family papers and Histories of the Empire, Stewart Gordon explores the origin of the Marathas, their emergence as elite families, patterns of loyalty and strategies for maintaining legitimacy. He traces how the armies developed into European-style infantry and artillery and assesses the economics that funded the polity, especially taxation and credit. Finally the author considers the lasting effects the empire had on administrations, law and trade patterns of Central India, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

In the administration of colonial finances, the monetary policy of the Imperial power relating to their dependencies has tremendous impact on the colonial economy. The British East India Company, therefore, adopted a policy of gradually subsuming the local currencies of India and replacing them with a uniform imperial currency. After passing a series of regulations, in 1835 the Company was able to introduce a universal currency in all its Indian possessions. This proved to be a landmark in the economic consolidation of the British rule in India. In this unique anthology published studies and unpublished archival records have been integrated into an overall theme. Together with a comprehensive bibliography-cum-list for further readings this volume is aimed to serve as a veritable reference tool.