Digital museum showcasing the collection of worldwide legends over the years! 千古不朽博物館展示多年來收藏的世界傳奇故事!
Princely State of Bikaner
Ganga Singh 50th Anniversary of The Reign
1 Rupee
比卡內爾土邦
甘加·辛格五十周年登基紀念
1盧比
Item number: A1240
Year: AD 1938
Material: Gold
Size: 19.4 x 19.4 mm
Manufactured by: Bikaner Mint
Provenance: Spink 2024
This is a commemorative 1-rupee gold coin issued in AD 1938 by the Bikaner Mint, located in the princely state of Bikaner, which was in present-day Rajasthan in northwestern India. At the time, Bikaner was a highly autonomous region under British India. The coin was minted to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the accession of Ganga Singh, the 21st ruler of Bikaner.
The obverse and reverse sides of the coin are decorated with beaded borders. The obverse features a portrait of Ganga Singh, showing him in a frontal view. He is depicted wearing a traditional ethnic turban and sporting a distinctive moustache. He is dressed in a British-style military uniform, with a row of medals pinned to his left chest. Surrounding the portrait is an inscription in Hindi, “हाराजाधिराज श्री गंगा सिंहजी बहादुर,” which translates to Ganga Singh’s title: “King of Kings, His Highness Ganga Singh, the Brave One.”
The reverse design of the coin features two concentric circles. The outermost circle contains six small decorative roundels. On the left, from top to bottom, the roundels depict a flag, a trident, and a peacock; on the right, from top to bottom, they feature a mushroom-like ornament, a fly whisk, and a parasol. These symbols represent the heraldry of the Bikaner princely state, including Ganga Singh and his predecessors.
In the outer circle, the Hindi inscriptions “राजश्री” (Rajshri) and “एक रुपीया” (Ek Rupiya) represent the honorific title “Rajshri,” used for rulers, and the denomination “1 Rupee,” respectively. Inside the inner circle, the Hindi text “बीकानेर गंगाशाही” (Bikaner Gangashahi) identifies the name of the state, Bikaner, and the ruler, Ganga Singh. Below this, the number “१९९४” (1994) refers to the Vikram Samvat calendar year, which corresponds to AD 1938 in the Gregorian calendar.
Bikaner was a Hindu kingdom founded in AD 1465. As British influence spread across the Indian subcontinent, Bikaner opted to collaborate with the British East India Company in AD 1818, eventually becoming one of the highly autonomous princely states under British India. Ganga Singh, born in AD 1880, ascended to the throne at the young age of eight after the death of his older brother. Throughout his reign, Ganga Singh maintained close ties with the British.
Ganga Singh personally led his troops alongside British forces in the Boxer Rebellion and World War I. In AD 1917, during the height of World War I, Ganga Singh became the only non-European member of the British Empire’s War Cabinet. He further represented India in the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, reflecting the Empire’s high regard for him. In AD 1920, the Chamber of Princes was established by British India to provide a platform for princely rulers to communicate their views to the British government. Ganga Singh was appointed its first chancellor. He passed away in AD 1943 at the age of 64.