1948 Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Stamps ( Most Famous Stamp Series of India)

Till date, innumerable stamps of Mahatma Gandhi have been issued by many countries worldwide, but the series of four stamps issued on 15th August 1948 have a popularity that is unmatched. They are collected in India and abroad equally with the same passion. These were the first commemorative stamps of Independent India issued in four denominations: one and a half annas: three and a half annas: twelve annas and ten rupees. Incidentally, the only set of stamps printed outside India after Independence in Geneva. These stamps are also known as "mourning stamps" as Gandhi died on 30th January 1948.

These stamps were meant to be sold till the 15th of November 1948, but then the date was extended till 31st December 1948 and were withdrawn from sale on 1st January 1949. 

The one and a half annas and three and a half annas stamps were demonetized on 1st October 1959 and were allowed to be exchanged at Post Offices till 30th November 1959, however, the twelve annas and ten rupees stamps remained valid as postage stamps.

                                     

           Mahatma Gandhi 10 Rs overprint SERVICE 

                                                                                  

                                            

                                            

                                                     

Gandhi Memorial Stamps: 15 August 1949

The one and a half annas, sepia brown stamps printed were quantity 25,000,000.

The three and a half annas, bluish purple stamps printed were 02,500,000.

The twelve annas, dark green stamps printed were 03,750,000.

The ten rupees, reddish brown stamps printed were 00250,000

The total number of stamps printed were quantity 31,500,000.

                                                             

                                                  

                  Overprinted Specimen ✧

Very few sets of all values were overprinted "Specimen" These were affixed in a black velvet folder with a golden card inside and given to the delegates attending the conference at France. probably just a couple of hundred were overprinted.

                                           

                   SERVICE Overprint ✧

According to Jal Cooper 

The one and a half annas stamps, quantity 15,950 stamps were printed.

The three and a half annas stamps, quantity 1350 stamps were printed.

The twelve annas stamps, quantity 250 stamps were printed.

The ten rupees stamps, quantity 100 stamps were printed.

               

The multiple mint examples of these issues are known to exist for one and a half annas and twelve annas only. Multiple mint examples of three and a half annas are not seen. The Ten rupees "SERVICE" is extremely difficult to find. These ten rupees and three and a half annas are extremely rare. 

                                       

The complete sheet of Ten Rupees "SERVICE" in the National Philatelic Museum, New Delhi

✧ courtesy David Feldman

The Earliest Coins of India

 

The earliest coins found in ancient India are generally referred to as punch-marked coins, minted and issued by the Janapadas between the 6^th and 4^th centuries BC. Janapadas were kingdoms that prospered during the Vedic period. They were social and cultural states that had their origins in 'jana', which means people, and 'pada', which means abode. Each Janapada was free to issue its own coins and had its own combination of punches on coins. Later, when these kingdoms were annexed by their powerful neighbours, these Janapadas transformed into Mahajanapadas. Ancient Buddhist texts like Anguttara Nikaya mention 'solasa mahajanapadas', i.e., Sixteen Mahajanapadas.

                     

                      Bent Bar

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            Mahajanapadas and Janapadas

Shatamana (silver bent bar) Gandhara, 600 BC, weight: 11.23 gm, length: 39 mm.

Amongst the earliest Indian coins is the Shatamana (silver bent bar) Gandhara, which dates back to 600 to 300 BC and is also called the Double Sigloi. The bent bar coins followed the Shatamana (100 rattis) standard with a weight of approximately 11 gm. The length of the coins ranges from 35 mm to 50 mm, while the width ranges from 8 mm to 20 mm. They bear at each end a deeply punched 'septra radiate' solar symbol with a dot within the central circle and six radiating arms.  

Taxila copper/billon bent bars, 450 BC. Weight: 9.6 gm, length: 28 mm.

Later, the Shatamanas started to get debased. The short bars were struck from low-quality silver that resembled copper.

Silver one eighth Shatamana from Taxila, Gandhara Janapada 600 to 400 BC.

The punch-marked coin above has the six-armed Gandharian symbol with a dot between two of the arms. The size of these coins ranges from 14 mm to 17 mm and the weight ranges from about 1.3 gm to 1.6 gm.

From Gandhara the idea of punch-marked coinage spread and soon these coins were minted in many regions of Northern and Central India

Silver Karshapanas from Magdha Janapada,500 BC

These coins weighed between 3.4 gm and 5.8 gm of silver and were issued from 600 to 400 BC. They featured from two punched-marked symbols initially to five punch-marked symbols in the later issues on the obverse.

Archaic punch marked Panchala Janapada, half Karshapana silver coin 400-350 BC, weight 0.3 to 1.8 gm.

                                                     

AR,1/4 Karshapana, Saurashtra Janapada, 450-400 

BC, weight 0.9 gm, Obverse: Srivatsa, uniface                                                   

AR half Karshapana, Avanti Janapada 300 BC, 

weight 1.6 gm

Obverse: Taurine symbols Reverse: blank

*Map courtesy Wikipedia.coinage of India