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.

物件編號: A1240

年代: 公元 1938 年

材質: 黃金

尺寸: 19.4 x 19.4 mm

製造地: 比卡內爾鑄幣廠

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2024

這是位於今印度西北部的拉賈斯坦邦境內，曾經為英屬印度轄下擁有高度自治的比卡內爾土邦，於公元1938年為紀念第二十一任統治者甘加·辛格登基五十周年之際，由境內的比卡內爾鑄幣廠發行之1盧比面額的紀念金幣。

錢幣正反兩面的周圍以珠圈為裝飾。錢幣正面為甘加·辛格正面肖像，頭上纏著具有民族特色的纏頭，臉上留著一縷八字鬍，身穿英式戎裝，並且於左胸處別有一排獎章。周圍的印地文「हाराजाधिराज श्री गंगा सिंहजी बहादुर」即是甘加·辛格的頭銜「王中之王，甘加·辛格殿下，勇者」。

錢幣背面設計為兩道圓圈。最外圍的圓圈上有六個小型的圓圈，左側的小圓圈從上而下為：旌旗、三叉戟和孔雀；右側的小圓圈從上而下為：類似菇菌的裝飾、拂塵和遮陽傘。這些圖騰是包含甘加·辛格在內，象徵每一任比卡內爾土邦統治者的紋章。外圍圓圈上的印地文「राजश्री」和「एक रुपीया」，分別是印度教中尊稱統治者使用的頭銜「拉賈什」和面額「1盧比」。打印在內圓的印地文「बीकानेर गंगाशाही」，為國名「比卡內爾」和國王的名字「甘加·辛格」，下方的數字「१९९४」(1994)為印度教維克拉姆曆年，換算為公元1938年。

比卡內爾是創立於公元1465年的印度教王國，隨著英國勢力插旗印度次大陸，於公元1818年，比卡內爾選擇跟英國東印度公司合作，最後成為英屬印度高度自治的土邦之一。甘加·辛格出生於公元1880年，以八歲幼齡繼承兄長的王位，並且在任內跟英國有密切的互動。甘加·辛格本人曾率領自家軍隊，偕同英軍一同參與八國聯軍之役和第一次世界大戰。公元1917年，第一次世界大戰尚未停歇之際，甘加·辛格更成為大英帝國戰爭內閣裡，唯一非歐裔的成員。後續更作為印度代表參與《凡爾賽條約》簽訂，可見大英帝國對他的重視。公元1920年，英屬印度成立供土邦王公向英國表達意見的「王公院」，甘加·辛格又榮任首任議長。公元1943年，甘加·辛格以64歲之齡逝世。