Coins and coinage

Coins and coinage
by Rajbir Deswal

History, or even some evidence of myths, is generally substantiated with findings related to coins of specific times gone by. The earliest information about coins provides proof that these had almost no proper form. Coins then were like a lump or a flattened piece of metal, assessed as valuable.
That the coins got birth would have been due to greed and avarice in man. That these acquired definite forms — stamped, imprinted, etched and embossed with the ruling figure on one of their sides —speaks volumes about generally the ambition in man and his desire to have his name travel to times even after he or she ceases to remain at the helm of affairs.
Let me lighten the serious tone a bit, and shed light on other aspects of coins and coinage — “shine like a penny just out of the mint” and, of course, not “returning like a bad coin”. Well, the hidden treasure you hit upon always has a box, a pitcher or even an urn, full of the tinkling metal-money. Their appearing in your dreams confirms a hidden desire in you — for valuables and riches — although experts may interpret it in various ways.
The more coins and currency someone possessed, the more insecure he became and devised ways and means to store, salvage and package them so as not to allow even a look at one’s treasure-trove, not to talk of a heist being executed against it. That is why they had purpose-made boxes and safely-tucked-in-wall-and-earth pitchers, containing metal-money.
The coins have given us many phrases, idioms and sayings. Once out of the dye in which they are moulded and cast, it confirms their currency, utility or otherwise in accordance with one’s own understanding. A coin’s value varies from person to person — a man in the street, a beggar, an ascetic, or someone who never needed money or any of its manifestations in concrete terms — pun intended.
So far I have only been talking of the third dimension of the coins whereas they are said to have only two. Except the one made-on-order by Big B in “Sholay” who engages a trick to fool his friend Dharmendra. Big B in “Deewar” was also saved when the bullet landed on a coin-like badge with an inscription of the holy Islamic number 786 in his pocket. We sometimes refer to children as “khareej” — change.
Remember Nizam Bhishti, one who obliged Humayun, the Mughal king, by saving his life while he was fleeing from captivity. He was rescued by one using a buffalo-skin water-bag (mashak) while letting the king float in water. Humayun, as a token of payment for his obligation, allowed the Bhishti to rule “Hindostan” at least “for one day”. Nizam Bhishti is said to have allowed “coins of leather” remain in currency as “dinars” for that particular day.
Not very long ago but there was a time when even a four-anna coin called “chavanni”’ made a musical and tinkling sound for a long time after its landing on the floor, and now even a tenner doesn’t jingle. No, it’s not inflation, but enough fall in the currency’s rebounding cacophony, nay, capacity — jokes apart.
I recall a dacoity in my village long back when, trying to take on the dacoits, one of my forebears was killed. The dacoits had enough time, during the execution of the dacoity, to test each and every one-rupee silver coin by hurling it up in the air, employing a thumb against the finger, to listen to the tinkle that the coin made, and ascertaining if the coin was genuine or a khota sikka.
Yes, they carried away jute-bags full of silver coins then. Otherwise, why should a rendered-poor-me have been talking of coins and coinage?