2016-10-14 Fri

Gadhaiya coins or Gadhiya coins are found from many regions in Northern India, Gujarat being one of the centers. These were imitation of Indo-Sassanian influence and are of the Silver Drachma type. They represent a period from 850AD to 950AD.

The Hepthalo-Sassanid coins, issued earlier by the Hunas, were the prototype for the debased silver pieces bearing the Sassanid bust on the obverse and the fire-alter on the reverse in degraded form are found in large quantities in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Malwa known as Indo-Sassanian coins.

They follow the weight of their proto-types i.e. 67 grains, and are called drammas. The Indo-Sassanian coins, in their early stage, are of thin flat fabric like their prototypes. But gradually they grew thicker and shrank in size and appeared like pellets. These later types are particularly known as gadhiya coins.

Sassanian elements are virtually absent: on obverse, a vestigial head which in its latest form resembles a spade or footprint; on reverse a series of lines and dots. The Gadhaiya coins of Gujarat, increasingly degenerate imitations of the Hun imitations of the Sassanian coins, were likely released during the Chavada (AD 746-942), the Chalukya (AD 942-1243), and Vaghela (AD 1244-1297) dynasties of Gujarat. They continued to be the accepted coin of the realm till the conquest of Ala-ud-din Khilji of the province at the close of the 13th century.