Question

Collect five different kinds of currency notes and coins in circulation today. For each one of these, describe what you see on the obverse and the reverse (the front and the back). Prepare a report on the common features as well as the differences in terms of pictures, scripts and languages, size, shape and any other element that you find significant. Compare these with the coins shown in “Kings, Farmers And Towns: Early States and Economies,” discussing the materials used, the techniques of minting, the visual symbols and their significance and the possible functions that coins may have had.

Answer 1

Modern Indian currency serves as a standardised, state-backed medium of exchange that combines national heritage symbols with advanced security features, contrasting sharply with the irregular, metal-dependent coinage of early India.

I. Analysis of Modern Currency

Currency	Obverse (Front)	Reverse (Back)	Motifs & Language Features
₹ 10 Note (Chocolate Brown)	Mahatma Gandhi portrait Ashoka Pillar emblem	Konark Sun Temple Wheel	Devnagari & English script 15-language panel on back
₹ 50 Note (Fluorescent Blue)	Mahatma Gandhi portrait Central value numeral	Hampi with Chariot	Heritage site motif Bilingual security text
₹ 500 Note (Stone Grey)	Mahatma Gandhi portrait Security thread	Red Fort with Indian Flag	Swachh Bharat logo RBI Governor guarantee clause
₹ 5 Coin (Nickel- Brass)	Lion Capital of Ashoka “भारत” and “INDIA” text	Large numeral “5” Rupee symbol (₹)	Circular shape Year of minting at bottom
₹ 10 Coin (Bimetallic)	Lion Capital of Ashoka Concentric ring design	Large numeral “10” 10 radiating top lines	Outer ring: Aluminum-Bronze

II. Comparison: Modern Currency vs. Ancient Coins

Feature	Modern Currency	Ancient Coins
Materials Used	Low-cost base metals (steel, brass) Specialised cotton-fibre paper	Precious metals like gold and silver Base metals like copper and lead
Minting Techniques	High-precision hydraulic machines Standardised, perfect weights	Manual hammering (Punch-marked) Liquid metal poured into clay moulds
Visual Symbols	Democratic icons (Gandhi, Flag) National heritage monuments	Royal portraits of ruling kings Deities, trees, hills, and animals
Scripts & Language	Modern regional scripts 15 official languages listed	Ancient scripts like Brahmi and Kharosthi Prakrit, Greek, and Sanskrit languages
Primary Functions	Universal daily legal tender Regulated state-backed exchange	Long-distance commercial trade Royal tax collection and military pay