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1 Paisa - Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
| Issuer | Maratha Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 1664-1680 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Hammered |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | श्री राजा शिव |
| Reverse description | Reverse field displays the Devanagari legend 'छत्रपति' (Chhatrapati), meaning 'Lord of the Umbrella' or 'Sovereign,' serving as the royal title of Shivaji Maharaj. The inscription is struck in bold Devanagari characters arranged horizontally across the flan, with characteristic uneven borders and surface texture resulting from the hammered technique. The overall presentation is consistent with Maratha copper paisa coinage of the mid-to-late 17th century. |
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| Additional information |
Shivaji's copper coinage was part of a deliberate assertion of independent rule following his coronation at Raigad in 1674 — the first formal Maratha kingship, conducted against the backdrop of Mughal pressure from Aurangzeb's Deccan campaigns. The decision to strike coin was political before it was economic: issuing currency in one's own name was, under both Hindu and Mughal administrative tradition, an unambiguous claim to sovereignty.
The wide weight range reflects decentralized production across multiple mints operating without rigid standardization.