It makes for a good story. About 500 years ago, in 1516 AD, the ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire, Krishnadevaraya (1509-1529 AD) dropped in at the Balaji shrine in Tirupati. He had with him his two wives, Tirumala Devi and Chinnama Devi. It was a visit to give thanks to the Lord after the defeat of Gajapati Prathapa Rudra Dev and his army at Udaygiri. Balaji was evidently pleased with the king, since Krishnadevaraya went on after his holy visit to beat the forces of Prince Virabhadra, son of Gajapati emperor Utkal Gajapati Prataprudra Deva at Kondavidu. But as part of the thank-you celebrations, the king gave orders for new coins to be minted for a kanakabhishekham, where the gold currency was showered at the feet of the deity. The pure gold coins were exquisitely made, devotion and gratefulness poured into the precious metal and crafted into each curve. It would have been used as currency at that time, but today has antique and rarity value rather than intrinsic worth.
Ramya Sarma One of these precious souvenirs was on offer recently at the 100auction at Todywalla Auctions. “This is only the second time we have a very, very historically significant coin coming up,” said Malcolm Todywalla. The milestone event featured 200 lots that included copper, gold, silver, cupro-nickel and stainless steel coins, medallions, paper currency and tokens from India and abroad, dating back to about 100 AD. The Vijayanagara coin weighed about 7.77 grammes and is a double pagoda with one side showing Lord Venkateshwara standing under an ornamental arch composed of makaras, or mythical creatures. The deity was exquisitely detailed, the shankha, chakra, gadha and padma in His hands clearly defined and His hands in varadamudra, dispensing boons. The other side had Sri Krishnadevaraya in Devnagari script, the lines immaculate, straight and clean. The coin was priced between Rs. 25-30 lakhs. Along with this particular treasure, the auction offered a number of other gems, such as a couple of square gold mohurs from Emperor Akbar’s time, a coin from that period with poetry talking about zameen (earth) and asmaan (sky), a few from the 1880s showing the torso of Queen Victoria and a personal favourite, a gold dinar from the period of Kumaragupta 1 depicting a horseman, his steed with one hood held up as if it was drawn in mid-gallop.
Another very special offering is a banknote, Todywalla pointed out, “It is an Indian note with two and a half rupees written on it. It was printed when India was experimenting with shifting from the rupee-anna denomination to the dollar. So they came out with this one, which is equivalent to one dollar. In the public space it did not work, so circulation had to be withdrawn, which is why the note is very rare indeed.” The collation of notes in the auction is practically a record of British rule in India, with each showing images of the various reigning monarchs – King George V, King George VI, et al. The notes are usually rectangular, and area specific, from Hyderabad, Goa and French India (Pondicherry). The star of the auction was the Vijayanagara coin, which “came from a collector in South India. Invariably these are solid gold.”
Gold has been prized since it was first discovered, but there have been many attempts to deviate from its purest form. Figuring out whether a coin like this rarity – or even a note or medallion - is genuine or not comes “just through experience”, Todywalla explained, with the confidence of someone who has been working in the family business for over 14 years, with academic qualifications to back it up. “When we see a coin we know it is genuine from various aspects – the strike, the colour and the finish, everything about the coin.” Looking at it with an eyeglass of high magnification confirms that knowledge. Testing for gold weight is done only if there is a doubt. “When you see a fake, it is all wrong. It is very scientific, not emotional in any way. With today’s technology, they still cannot replicate exactly what was struck 300 years ago, they cannot get the finesse and cannot reproduce this finish even with the best machines. They used to do a flawless job, but today it is not possible. In jewellery and painting it is easier to forge. In painting, in particular, there are shades and lines that can be replicated, so it is very difficult to tell which is a fake and which is not. It is rather easier to tell a fake coin from the real thing.” The fact that it is in the Todywalla catalogue guarantees its authenticity, he explained. “With antiques and paintings, because there are so many fakes, people want to know about provenance, but when it comes to coins, there are no shades of grey, so the typical coin buyer is not looking for provenance. It can come from a collector or a jeweller or a family.” A coin needs care, stored in a plastic flip case and put away safely. Notes can be put between the pages of books, affected only by the local climate and contact with skin oils and chemicals.
Coin collectors are a mixed bunch – it could be a salaried person with humble resources, buying coins worth Rs.1,000 a month, or industrialists and professionals who could spend much more. Todywalla Auctions offers pieces from Rs.500 to many lakhs. And guidance is always available, on how to start and build a collection. “The idea is to nurture a collector. We do not believe in hard-selling what we have.”
Ramya Sarma is a writer-editor who works from home on almost anything interesting, as long as there is a steady supply of chocolate and green tea by her side.
