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Numismatic Minting
Numismatic Minting
Introduction Coins are metallic pieces of required weight of a specific metal with some alloys, stamped
to give authentication by relevant issuing authority allowing them to be used in transactional purposes.
Initially the shape and size of the coins were not fixed but the weight was fixed. Such coins were
accepted at their intrinsic value i.e. the value of the metal. Gradually when the coin gained currency and
became popular and reliable the metal content was not a factor for its acceptance and it came to be
accepted at its face value. However in most cases the metallic value of the issues was the most
important factor for assessing its valuation. In India we find the use of four techniques for minting coins.
1. Punching technique also known as the archaic multiple die striking technique
2. Casting technique
4. Repoussé technique
4. Casting technique:
This technique was the most widely used technique for minting large scale base metal coins. In this
technique the coin was produced with the help of moulds which were mostly made of clay andthe
device of the coins was impressed on this clay in negative so that when the coin is produced it will have
the positive impression on it. This clay piece after receiving the impression was dried and baked to get a
terracotta mould. Molten metal was poured in the mould and was allowed to cool down to get the coin.
But such coin produced with a single mould had a blank reverse. This may be termed as single
mouldproduction. Thus to get two separate devices on both sides of the coin a different technique was
used. This is known as the double mould technique wherein the coin mouldsbearing two different
devices are joined with either clay or any gum like substance. A vent was kept on the top for pouring the
molten metal. Hot molten metal was poured into this pair of mould through the vent and the metal was
kept for cooling down. Later when the metal became cool and dry the joint was broken and the coin was
taken out. This technique may be called the double mould production technique. If the mould was still in
good condition it could be reused for further production or was destroyed after discarding it. By using
the casting method only base metal coins were minted as forging coins was much easier using moulds
and moreover the original coins also could work as specimens for getting the negative impression on the
moulds. The third technique of production is known as the multiple mould casting. Here several
impressions were placed one after the other maintaining a certain gap and channels were cut between
these to allow the molten metal to flow from one depression to the other once filled. Then finally
another mould bearing the reverse devices was also prepared in the same way and was placed on top of
this and the ends were joined with the help of clay or binder element. A lot of care and expertise was
required to keep both the moulds in sync. The molten metal was poured into the channel that has been
cut joining the various moulds of coins on the disc. The molten metal flowed from each coin mould to
the other and finally got solidified on cooling. The mould was then broken to get the solid metal. But
then the coins were in joined state with each other and the metal on the channel had also got
crystalized or solidified and it was then cut using a sharp clipper to get the desired coin. The extra metal
went back to the melting pot. Finally the ends were then polished and smoothened and finishing was
done before the metal piece left the mint.B.N. Mukherjee had put forth an imaginary model for multiple
die striking in which terracotta discs bearing multiple moulds each were placed on eon top of the other
as a set of two obverse and reverse moulds and many such pair of discs were placed on top of each
other and a pipe was fixed in the centre which had holes like the flute for the molten metal to flow into
the right channels. To keep the metal in a molten state till it reached the end or the last lower mould he
has put forth a model of charcoal set outside the discs fire was set outside to keep the metal in molten
state to flow freely. However this is just an imaginary construct and is not practically feasible.
6. Repoussé Technique:
Finally the last technique is known as the repoussé technique. The coins minted with this technique had
a single device i.e. the obverse device and the coin has a very thin flan. The reverse has the negative
intaglio of the obverse device. These coins were issued by using a single die engraved with a
comparatively more depth than the coins of die striking technique. On the anvil the lower die is fixed
which had the device in high relief. On this die the coin blank is placed or a thin metal sheet is placed
ontop of this metal coin blank or sheet another piece of metal sheet is kept and then a protector metal
piece is placed on them. This whole unit then received the hammer blow to get the positive impression
on the coin blank from the negative die. The reverse does not have a separate device and hence is the
negative intaglio of the obverse device. If a thin sheet was taken instead of coin blank then the coin was
cut into its desired shape after minting. However in most cases coin blank was taken instead of sheet.
This technique involves the process of embossing the device on one side by striking with a hammer on
the reverse we have a debossed device of the obverse which is in intaglio. The process of embossing
demands a thin flan to get a prominent obverse. All the repousse coins found till date are circular or
round coins. As they are of a thin flan and are lighter in weight standard. This was not a very popular
technique in early India. Repoussé technique was used only by the Śarabhapurīya rulers of Chhattisgarh
and Nalas of Bastar for minting gold coins. It was also used in Bengal in the 11thcentury to mint
bracteates variety of Harikela coinage. Harikela is a territory in Southeastern Bengal. Thus the limited
use of this technique is very clear as it required skilled craftsmanship and also the thin flan made them
less suitable for large and long distance transactions. Finally it needs to be mentioned that there are
some coin moulds unearthed from excavated context which indicate forgery. This is because thewrong
technique has been used to mint wrong set of coins. For example terracotta disc (Mould) for casting has
been unearthed from Rohtak these are for minting punch marked coins. Punch marked coins cannot be
cast in moulds hence this was a forger’s unit which has been discovered. Similarly some Bactrian Greek
or Indo Greek coin moulds have also been found. Originally these coins should be minted by die striking
technique. Casting of these issues indicates forgery. Moulds for casting have also been reportedfrom
Mathura and Sisupalgarh these are all punch marked coins moulds. Fragmentary mould for casting coins
of Maues from Taxila have also been reported which also indicates towards a forger’s unit. Disc of Azes
II’s coins from Taxila also indicate the same.Terracotta moulds for counterfeiting punch marked coins
are reported 6from Dhulikatta. Dies have rarely been reported from excavation which reflects upon the
working of mints and the control Dies were immediately destroyed after the production was stopped or
as soon as it was declared abandoned it was destroyed and hence we do not get dies from excavated
context. However it may be mentioned in this context that a bronze die from Eranhas been reported
which was used for striking punch marked coin.
8. Summary:
Coin productioninvolveda proper mint organization and mints were either royal mints or non-royal
mints with private owners. The Arthasastra refers to the minting of coins elsewhere and also in highway
mints. Thus coins were producedin these small workstations. However we only find the employment of
four principal techniques of minting these are the Punching technique also known as the archaic
multiple die striking technique, Casting technique, Die striking technique and the repoussétechnique.