Coin and Paper Money Collecting/coin or temple token?

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Expert: - 12/25/2010


Question

Rama and Sita
Greetings, I have what appears to be a silver coin or temple token, ca. 1740?  One face of the coin/token has two figures, I believe these figures represent Rama and Sita and the obverse has two seated and three standing figures with hanuman? under the dais.  I have been conducting research on the internet, searching for Rama and Sita, and have viewed numerous examples of 20th cent. temple tokens.  Each one both similar and slightly different than the last.  My coin/temple token is somewhat similar to those I have seen with the exception that mine may have an older date, a possible  mint mark between the legs of Rama and Sita, and the box below them has writing in it (posted tokens I have seen have the box but no writing).  Also, both Rama and Sita have fine lines with points trailing off their clothing.  Any help you could give in translating the writing/meaning of this coin/token would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
Hi Dennis,
I am quite familiar with these Nepalese and Indian temple tokens. The date on them would be a Solar Era date, in which SE 1740 = 1818 by our Gregorian calendar.
The design is pretty typical of most of these I see from the 1870's to 1930's. I would not be able to decipher the legends and I should also caution that the date may be a commemoration (such as the year the temple opened or such). The box with writing in between the date is in such a style as to suggest that it may have some significance to the date. Typically the years on them are fairly accurate, though the same pieces may have been issued for a couple of years with a frozen date. I personally feel that it's not the correct style for the early 1800's. Also, the second digit in the date is written much more like a Bengali 3 than a Nepalese 7, even though the rest of the digits are Nepalese.
I would expect an average value of around $25 at auction, though the prices on tokens of this type range widely. However, a retail price for a dealer that has some specialization in these would be much higher.
Thanks for the question! =)

Dmitry Livshits

Expertise

My specialty is world coins from the 18th to 20th centuries, primarily non-US foreign coins and related areas such as errors and exonumia (tokens, medals, etc.). I can answer questions relating to identification, grading, selling, preservation and evaluation of such items. In addition to catalog value, I can give you the practical market value and trends for specific types of coins. I will also take questions regarding counterfeits (both modern and antique) and on how to identify them. I am NOT knowledgeable in paper money/banknotes, ancient or "shipwreck" coins. Thank you.

Experience

Collector of world coins since early childhood. Access to a variety of auction records and reference material. You can also find me on Facebook.

Education/Credentials
A.S. in Psychology (2006), B.A. in Forensic Psychology (2008), M.A. in Forensic Psychology (2011).

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