The Coinage Workshop (2016) reported by Tarannum Caur

Each coin has a story to narrate, which may either be outlined on it's either side or hidden inside the covers of rust and dust. To get familiar to these hidden tales and to unfold the mysteries veiled in the metallic discs, the first workshop that was organised for the New Volunteers of Speaking Archaeologically was the Coinage Workshop. 

The history of coins extends from the ancient times to the present, and is related to economic history, the history of minting technologies and the history shown by the engraved words and images. A single metal piece, unfurling a number of secrets is what attracts the lovers of this subject. 

The workshop was held on the 4th of September at   S Cafe 

and Bar, Chandigarh. The dim lights and the dusky-wooden shades adorning the walls of the Cafe created a perfect atmosphere. Without any delay, Shriya opened up the coins album which was welcomed all the energy that was present in the room. The enthusiasm and eagerness of the new members filled the air with anticipation. Before beginning with the work, all of us were sorted into pairs and each pair had to study a given set of coins. The observation sheets of the ones who had won the task as well as of those who had failed the same, among the old Volunteers, were handed over, which now acted as our guides. 

My fellow volunteer, Jahnavi and I, had to study the British Indian Coins of Empress Victoria and British East India Company. The first step was to wear the gloves, to avoid any kind of harm that our skin could do to the coins. The next, was to differentiate between the obverse and the reverse, and mark down the observations and all the minute details that could be noticed. The diameter and the metal of the coin were noted down. The imprints of the coins that had to be studied by each pair were taken as well. It was for the first time, that I had STUDIED a coin rather than just getting impressed at the first glance and leaving it right there. 

   The next interesting bit came when we realised that the etched and engraved motifs around the denomination were never meaningless! As observed in the British India silver coins of George V and George VI, where the four different flowers were the National symbols that depicted four domains where the rule of the king had been established. These elements added to the excitement that the young spirits carried. In the meanwhile, I handed over the coins chart that I had bought 8 years back, to Shriya. The coins that stayed unnoticed, in the dusty drawers for years, now valued the most to me. I was asked to clean the coins and store them either in an album or in an air tight jar. The whole point of collecting is the thrill of acquisition which must be maximised at all costs. 

After we were done with the British India coins, Shriya passed around a few coins from Medieval India which included Leaf type Coin of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and dam, dating back to the times of Akbar. The uniqueness that these coins carried could not be overlooked by any of us (and maybe that's why, everyone kept aside the British India coins to photograph these). 

On the whole, the study of coins included the political, social and economic impact on the impressions, the study of engraved figures and motifs, and the ways of preservation. These topics of discussion injected in another dose of love for the study of past with the help of little objects.

These coins venture back to the infinite circulation of currency, which when studied, allow us to travel the streets where they were first minted and exchanged. Each stain or mark on their surface highlights an inedible truth which can be identified only when noticed.