Item number: A368

Year: AD 1825 (SE 1747)

Material: Silver

Size: 27.0 x 27.0 x 1.0 mm

Weight: 5.4 g

Provenance: Noonans 2022

This silver mohar was minted in AD 1825 (SE 1747) during the reign of the fifth king of the Kingdom of Nepal, Rajendra Bikram Shah.

The obverse of the coin features the king’s name in Devanagari script within a square border, below which is inscribed the Saka era year of minting, SE 1747. Above the square are sun and moon symbols on either side. The entire coin is adorned with decorative patterns formed by lines. The reverse side of the coin bears inscriptions in Devanagari paying homage to Hindu deities, with a central depiction of a sword surrounded by similarly intricate decorative patterns. Both sides of the coin have an outer ring of 64 small circles, symbolising the 64 goddesses of Hinduism.

The Saka era (SE) calendar system, whose origins are disputed, was initially utilised by rulers in India during the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. It gained popularity during the Licchavi dynasty and became integral to Hindu tradition. Until AD 1888, all coins issued by the Shah dynasty of Nepal utilised this era.

The Shah dynasty marks the final era in the history of the Kingdom of Nepal. Following a defeat in 1814 AD against British India, Nepal ceded territories and became a protectorate of the British, gradually diminishing its influence. King Rajendra Bikram Shah (reigned AD 1816-AD 1847) is regarded as a weak and ineffective ruler, with his grandmother and prime minister effectively holding power. Rajendra Bikram Shah spent his later years in house arrest after a tumultuous period of power struggles.

物件編號: A368

年代: 公元 1825 年 (塞迦 1747 年)

材質: 銀

尺寸: 27.0 x 27.0 x 1.0 mm

重量: 5.4 g

來源: 諾南斯 2022

此枚為尼泊爾王國第五任國王拉金德拉·比克拉姆·沙阿於公元1825(塞迦1747年)年鑄造的銀莫哈爾。

銀幣的正面以天城梵文刻有國王的名字，以一個方形圍住，在方形下方刻有此幣鑄造的塞迦年分1747年，方形上方則刻有一左一右的日月圖樣。整體錢幣充滿以線條構成的紋飾。硬幣背面以梵文刻有對印度教神靈表示敬意的文字，中央為一柄寶劍，硬幣周圍同樣充滿以線條構成的裝飾圖紋。硬幣正反兩面的最外圈皆有64枚小圓圈，象徵印度教的64位女神。

塞迦紀年(Saka Era，縮寫為SE)，該紀年方式的起源尚有爭議，目前已知最早使用這種紀年方式的人是公元2-3世紀的印度統治者，塞迦紀年的使用一直沿用至笈多王朝時代，並逐漸普及，成為印度教的一部份。在公元1888年以前，尼泊爾沙阿王朝發行的所有硬幣都使用這種紀年方式。

沙阿王朝是尼泊爾王國歷史上的最後一個時代，公元1814年尼泊爾王國與英屬印度發生衝突並戰敗，使尼泊爾割讓了部分領土並成為英國的保護國，尼泊爾的勢力自此開始逐步衰弱。該時期統治尼泊爾的國王拉金德拉·比克拉姆·沙阿(公元1816-公元1847年在位)被視為是一位軟弱且無能的統治者，他的繼祖母和首相成為實質掌權者。拉金德拉·比克拉姆·沙阿在經歷了一連串爭權的跌宕起伏後，在軟禁中度過餘生。