2023-01-18 Wed

Baroda was a considerably big princely state in the present-day Gujarat. From its formation in 1721, until it acceded to the newly formed Dominion of India in 1949, it was ruled by the Gaekwad dynasty of the Maratha Confederacy. The genesis of Gaekwad can be traced to gaikwars. Famous as “Vatapadra” in early medieval era, the city of Vadodara has remarkable antiquity. Archaeological findings from the area of near Baroda called Ankottaka (presently known as Akota) of the 5th and 6th centuries bespeaks a popular center of Jainism.

Baroda state minted many types of hammered coins in Gold, silver and copper. The milled machined coinage was first minted in the late 19th century during the reign of Sayaji Rao III. Depicted here is a milled Pai minted in the Vikram Samvat (VS) year 1945 (1888 CE). On the obverse, “Sarkar” is inscribed in Devanagari scrip with the horse hoof and scimitar within the beaded circle, surrounded by “Shree Gaikwad” and “Badoude” in Devanagari in outer circle. On the reverse Denomination "ek pai" and VS date are inscribed within beaded circle in Devanagari with a floral design within a beaded border in outer margin.

Image courtesy: Mintage world