Summary

1/2 Paisa coin, issued by Maharaja Ranbir Singh in the Kashmir Princely State, India
Hammered copper coinage struck at the Srinagar mint in the period 1927-1939 VS (1870-1882 AD)

Obverse Description

Legend, mostly in Persian - '19?? Sri Ragunatha ji Saha zarb Srinagar' partly off flan ; below, the English letters JHS (the S retrograde) for Jamu Hari Singh

Reverse Description

Legend in Takari characters above a scimitar

Edge Description

plain

Significance

Kashmir was taken from Afghan control by the Sikhs in 1819 and from them by the British in 1845. A year later it and Jamu were sold to Gulab Singh (father of the issuer of this coin) for 3/4 million pound sterling. The small denomination 1/2 paisa coin was introduced in 1876 during a great famine which had brought trade to a standstill. At this time also, Ranbir Singh had a cart road built from Srinagar to Rawalpindi to facilitate importation of food. The denomination was well recieved and was struck almost every year until 1890 (during the reign of Pertab Singh) when it was discontinued.
The letters JHS on the obverse of this coin stand for Jamu Hari Singh although Valentine (vol.II p.250) records that they were also thought to stand for the Christian 'Jessu Hominum Salvator' - Jesus savior of men

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