Nishan Sahib Khanda Sikh Symbols Sikh Museum History Heritage Sikhs

The Sikh Empire

The Sikh Empire - Coins

Coins in the exhibit can be broken down into three general categories.

1) Sikh Weapons
Key weapons considered important to the Sikhs and seen on Nishan Sahib banners can also be found on Sikh coins. Some of the weapons appearing on Sikh coins include the katar dagger, tulwar sword and chakkar quoit.

2) Nishan Sahib Banners
Although very small and relatively crude in their depiction compared to paintings, nevertheless the banners depicted on Sikh coins still provide a level of details that are consistent with known patterns and styles appearing on Nishan Sahibs from the era..

3) Modern Khanda Like Emblems
Among this group are Mughal era coins that predate the Sikh empire and have had a stamp applied to them called a counterstrike. We also have a rare copper coin from the Sikh Empire with a khanda like image. None of these khanda like images can be corroborated or cross referenced with any similar emblems appearing on Nishan Sahibs or in use during the 19th century.

Sikh Silver Rupee

Amritsar Mint, ca. 1785 (V.S. 1842), SSB Collection

An early Sikh coin featuring a katar dagger.
Sikh Silver Rupee

Kashmir Mint, ca. 1825 (V.S. 1882), Dr. Gurpal Singh Bhuller Collection

A rupee from the Sikh Empire province of Kashmir featuring a checkered weave banner.
Sikh Silver Rupee

Lahore Mint, ca. 1837 (V.S. 1893, frozen year V.S. 1885), private collection, image courtesy Gurprit Singh Gujral

A very rare coin and one of the only coins produced during the reign of the Sikh Empire with human figures. Maharaja Ranjit Singh is depicted presenting a lotus flower to Guru Nanak. Between the two figures can be seen a Nishan Sahib with patterned outer border and an inner bordered segment.
Sikh Silver Rupee

Kashmir Mint, ca. 1839 (V.S. 1896), SSB Collection

A rupee from the Sikh Empire province of Kashmir with a sword and chakkar quoit.
Sikh Copper Paisa

Sikh Empire, ca.19th century, private collection, photograph courtesy Jeevandeep Singh

An unusual khanda like symbol appears on this Sikh paisa. Copper paisas were in much wider circulation than silver rupees and this symbol has not been seen on other paisas from the era. The symbol appears on the edge of the coin with its top edge missing. It is not clear if the outer edges of the two curved lines end, as they do in a khanda symbol or if they continue and join to form an outer circle around an inner circle. Some have suggested that the symbol may represent a stylized lotus flower, something seen on other Sikh coins.
Mughal Silver Rupee

Lahore Mint, Aurengzeb era, ca. 1700 (A.H. 1112), Dr. Gurpal Singh Bhuller Collection

A stylized khanda like symbol appears as a countermark strike on an existing Mughal coin. The age of the symbol can not be easily determined, being a counterstrike it could have been applied at any time to an older base coin.
Mughal Silver Rupee

Mughal Era, Shah Alam, ca. 1711 (A.H. 1123), private collection, photograph yahoo Sikh coins group

A stylized khanda like symbol on a mughal coin of Bahadur Shah. Leading Sikh coins authority Hans Herrli has identified this as a lotus flower and not a khanda. He has also seen this same symbol of coins of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
Mughal Silver Rupee

Shahjehanbad mint, Aurangzeb era, ca. 1688 (A.H. 1100), Dr. Gurpal Singh Bhuller Collection

A coin from Mughal Emperor Aurangzebs mint with a modern khanda like symbol within a countermark strike. The age of the symbol can not be easily determined. Leading Sikh coins authority Hans Herrli considers this a recent countermark.