Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan khanDept. Of Archaeology

Dokuz Eylül University Izmir-Turkey

A representation of coins & currency system of Bangladesh

Numismatic sources are important evidence for the early history of

South Asia in the absence of reliable textual materials.

The first coins in India subcontinent were minted around the 6th

century BCE by Mahajanapads of the Indo Gengetic plain.

İt had been assumed so far that the people of Bengal did not know the

circulation of coins before the 3rd century BC. But, recent studies

affirm that there was the circulation of coins in Wari-Bateshwar

between the 6th and the 4th century BC .

Cowrie shells have been used for quite a long period as a medium of

exchange in the Bengal. Even cows took up the role of the medium.

Punch-marked coins are a type of early Coinage of India, dating to between

about the 6th and 2nd centuries BC.

As the name denotes, various symbols were ‘punched’ manually and separately on

the coins when the metal was still hot.

There were no inscription or legends on these coins; instead they bore the symbols

of human figures, artifact, arms, various forms of hills, animals, trees and fruits,

floral and geometrical patterns and religious symbols.

These coins were originally stamped with the marks only on one side, the other side

remained blank.

As the symbols did not indicate any particular ruler or period it is very difficult to

ascertain the particular period of their manufacture or by whom they were

manufactured.

Silver Punch-marked Coins

Symboll of silver punch mark coins

Copper Cast coins have been found in the archaeological sites of

the Early Historic period in West Bengal and Bangladesh.

These coins were in circulation primarily during the 2nd BCE – 3rd

century CE till the Gupta period.

The weight of the Copper Cast Coins made with the help of the mold

of Silver Punch-marked coins weight from 45 grain to 56.75 grain.

The most important aspect of cast copper coins is that they do not

contain any signs of any king or dynasty.

These coins are of two types - square and round - and are of multiple

weights. Christianity is associated with a cross, Islam with a crescent, Jews with Star of

David, Hindus with Om/Swastika, Buddhists with the Dharma-chakra (Wheel), etc.

Cast Copper Coin

Cowrie shells had been in use as a medium of exchange in the Bengal since the ancient

period until the British reign .

The Mahasthangarh Brahmi inscription (approx. 3rd century BC) mentions two types of

small-sized coins named Gandaka and Kakanika. In the view of researchers, the coins have

the possibility of being Cowries.

Chinese traveler Fahien (399-414 AD) noticed the use of cowries in the Indian subcontinent

for selling and buying different materials.

Taking Fahien’s views in consideration, B.N. Mukherjee mentions that Cowrie was the

primary currency in everyday sales and purchases in Bengal during the Gupta period. Gold or

silver coins were used in big-scale sales or purchases.

Ibn Batuta observed the use of Cowries as the currency in the Bengal. Cowries have been

found in the excavations in Paharpur, Mainamati among others.

Though limited in scope, China and Europe had the use of cowrie as the medium of

exchange. In the post-geographical discovery period, cowrie was the sole means of exchange

in Africa.

Cowrie Shell (Shell money)

Gold coins were first introduced in the Indian subcontinent by the kings of the

Kusana dynasty . It was V’ima Kadphises (c. 95 – c. 127 AD.) the first great

Kushan emperor, who issued the earliest gold coins

Generally, Kushan coins had images of Kushan Kings, Buddha, and figures from

the Indo-Aryan and Iranian pantheons. These coins also contained more than thirty

different gods, belonging mainly to their own Iranic, Greek, and Indo-Aryan worlds

as well.

It should be mentioned in this context that the ancient Bengal was never a part of the

Kusana empire; yet a considerable number of Kusana coins have been discovered in

Bengal.

The weight of coins functionally equals 57.6 grains which is the same standard of

the weight standard that prevailed in the India subcontinent.

Kusana Coins

Vima Kadphises. Ca. 90-100 AD. Gold Dinar (8.01 gm; 19 mm). King Vima Kadphises,

crowned and diademed bust on clouds left, flames over shoulder, holding club-like sceptre and

whisk(?); tamgha behind /

Karosthi legend, nude Siva standing facing, holding trident, club, and lion skin; tamgha to left

and Nandipada symbol to right, Kharosthi legend around."

Kusana Coins

Kanishka II. Circa 200-222 AD. AV Dinar (7.85 gm; 20 mm). King standing left, holding

trident, (çatal şeklinde zıpkın)sacrificing at altar; symbols in field /

Siva standing facing, the bull, Nandi, standing left behind

Gold coin of Kanishka I, with a depiction of the Buddha, with the legend "Boddo" in Greek script;Ahin Posh

Gupta Coins

Samudragupta, gold dinar, c. 335-375 CE Weight: 7.68 gm, King seated left on a

couch, playing the vina circular Brāhmī legend around, is below couch

Lakshmi seated left on a stool, holding a cornucopia and diadem, Brāhmī legend at

right

The Gupta kings ruled over diferent parts of Bengal from 4th century CE to 7th

century CE. The numismatic scenario in Bengal becomes much more illuminated

during the Gupta Empire.

The prominence of the Gupta gold coins is very well known for their quality and

style. The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire, founded by Maharaja Sri

Gupta,

The Gupta period is considered the "Golden Age" of classical India. This was a time

when great universities flourished in Nalanda and Taxila, and great writers such as

the playwright Kalidasa and great scientists such as the mathematician and

astronomer Aryabhatta, who is credited with the concept of zero among his many

achievements.

Gupta art is regarded as the high point of classical Indian art, and the coinage is

equally regarded as among the most beautiful of ancient India.

Chandra Gupta II (375-414 CE)

Gold Dinar (9.07 gm; 20 mm). Chandragupta standing left, holding arrow and bow;

Garuda standard behind /

The goddess Laksmi seated facing, holding diadem and lotus."

Shashankas coins

Obv: Shiva nimbate, looking right, seated cross legged on bull (his vehicle Nandi) left, resting right arm on its neck, right leg drawn over left knee, left hand raised, bell hanging on Nandi's neck, moon (sasanko) to right of Shiva and above Nandi's head, Jaya in Brahmi in lower field.

Rev: Goddess Lakshmi facing front and seated cross legged on lotus holding flower in left hand and uncertain object in right hand, small elephants flanking her saluting with water ('Abhishek'),

'Sri sasanka' in brahmi in right field

• Shashanka is the first important king of

ancient Bengal, occupies a prominent place in

history of the region. It is generally believed

that he ruled approximately between 600 AD

and 625 AD,

Harikela coins

• Harikela was a kingdom in ancient Bengal encompassing

much of the eastern regions of the Indian Subcontinent.

There are numerous references to the kingdom in historical

texts as well as archeological artifacts including silver

coinage.

• Samatata was an ancient Indian region in south-eastern 

Bengal

Muslim CoinsThe coins of Muslim rulers of Bengal under Delhi Sultanate and

independent Sultans of Bengal from 1204 A.D. to 1576 A.D. can be

discussed mainly in three phases. First phase from 1204 to 1338 A.D.

(rulers under Delhi Sultans), second phase from 1338 to 1538 A.D.

(independent Sultanate of Bengal) and third phase from 1538 to 1576

A.D. (Bengal under Suri and Karrani rulers).

The inscriptions on the coins, under discussion, are both religious and

secular in nature. The most common religious part of the inscriptions

is the Kalima .Mentioning the name of Khalifah (Abbasid caliph and four great

caliphs) in the inscriptions also belong to this category.

The titles of the rulers found in the inscription, which sometimes

mention the ruler as Al-Imam al Azam (The Greatest Leader),

Yaminul Khilafat (Right Hand of the Caliph), Nasir e Amir al

Muminin (Helper of the Commander of the Faithful), Ghaus al

Islam wal Muslimin (Succourer of Islam and the Muslims),

Khalifatullah bil Hujjat wal Burhan (Khalifah of God by Proof and

also provide religious information. Sometimes Quranic verses were

also included on these coins.

The first coins were issued under the authority of Muhammad

Bakhtiar Khalji A.H.,601- 602/A.D. 1204-1206 after the conquest of

Bengal by the Ghurid forces

Delhi Sultanate, Alauddin Khilji,

“the Supreme Sultan, Elevation of the World and the Faith, Father of Victory, Muhammad Shah,

the within circle: sikandar al-sani / yamin al-khilafat nasir / amir al-mu’minin

“the Second Alexander, Right Hand of the Caliph, Helper of the Commander of the Faithful”

Margin (tentative reading of date)

“this coin was struck in Dar-us-Islam year eight and ninety and six hundred”

Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah

Mughal coins

Indian history of the 16th century is dominated by the arrival of the Mughals. The founder of the dynasty, Babur, was a descendent of Timur (Tamerlane) and Genghis Khan, and son of the ruler

of Fergana in modern Uzbekistan.

Emperor Jahangir