Hinduja Collection of Ancient Coins Sheds New Light on Post-Mauryan North India

Early North India and Its Coinage, a book authored by historian and numismatist Dr. Devendra Handa and supported by the Hinduja Foundation,the philanthropic arm of the Hinduja Group, is the first comprehensive and illustrated study of early North Indian coinage coinciding with the break-up of the Mauryan Empire and the pre-Gupta period (300 BCE to 300 CE). This era, marked by rule under numerous regional powers, had not been adequately documented by earlier numismatists.

Featuring over 850 coins from this period partly drawn from the Hinduja Foundation numismatic collections, the book provides a detailed examination of coinage issued by different states, tribes, and kingdoms after the Mauryan period. It covers regions such as Mathura, Kannauj, Panchal, and Kaushambi in the Ganga–Yamuna doab, as well as areas in present-day Uttarakhand, Punjab,

Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan.

“The core aim of the book is to comprehensively present the vast wealth of India’s heritage through its ancient coins, which help students, collectors, and curious minds understand India’s glorious yet often forgotten history,” said Mr. Raman Kalyanakrishnan, CEO, Hinduja Foundation, on the occasion of the book’s unveiling in Lucknow by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath last week.

The book showcases a wide variety of coin shapes, metals, and symbols, featuring images of gods, temples, and early depictions of deities such as Kārttikeya, Śiva, and Lakṣmī. Drawing on archaeological discoveries and the Hinduja Foundation’s private collection, it explains how coins offer valuable insights into trade, religious practices, and daily life.

The Hinduja Foundation’s numismatic collection comprises over 34,000 historically significant coins, including around 7,000 from North India and nearly 4,200 from Uttar Pradesh alone. Plans are underway to showcase select coins from the collection for public viewing at the Lucknow Museum.

Various government and private museums and institutions possess numerous large and small hoards, as well as stray coins, many of which remain unstudied and unknown. “I personally know of an important hoard of more than 2,500 coins found near the Himachal–Uttarakhand border, and more than a hundred hoards of regional coins lying in a museum. When examined, these are sure to throw new light on our history and culture. However, they have not been studied for decades,”

“The situation is no better in some offices of the Archaeological Survey of India. In many cases, there are no sanctioned posts for numismatic officers or specialists to study and publish these coins. Even personal museums and private holdings contain rich collections. As a result, a very large number of hoards and stray collections remain locked away and unnoticed,” Handa added.