Nepal 1965 1 Paisa Coin KM# 747

In the year 2022 as reckoned by the Vikram Samvat, the calendar of Nepal and India, this coin was minted by the Nepalese government. Their year 2022 corresponds, roughly, to 1964–1965 in the Western world's Gregorian calendar. Across the top of the obverse (front) of the coin is the royal name of the king during that period, rendered in the beautiful Devangari script:

श्री ५ महेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाहदेव

(Shri Mahendra Veer Vikram Shahdev)

A trishula is pictured on the coin, as Shiva is considered the guardian deity of the country, and that symbol is synonymous with Him. The moon represents the peaceful nature of the people, but the sun represents the aggressiveness the Nepali soldiers can exhibit if threatened. In fact, the British suffered defeat against the Nepalese army during the first part of the Anglo-Nepali War (1815–16) and had to muster more resources to counter the Nepali army.^[3]

Under the trident on the obverse of the coin is the name "NEPAL: in Devangari script, and beneath that is the minting date "2022" in the Vikram Samvat calendric system.^[3]

The reverse of the coin features a large Nepali numeral "1" in the center, with the name of Goddess "Shri Bhavani" above, to balance the masculine energy on the obverse of the coin, "One Paisa" denomination below, and leaves are flanking to each side.

This coin isn't particularly valuable, but I still think it is cool. Exchanging it on the money market would only bring $0.000085100 USD, and 118 of these would be required to equal one penny. If it were melted, the brass in it would be worth about USD$0.005, a half a penny. But, to a collector, it is worth USD$0.10–$0.20, roughly. The Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), an independent coin appraiser, lists the value of an uncirculated ("Mint State") coin of this age and denomination at USD$0.50, but I recently saw one on eBay for USD$30, so they are "worth" whatever someone else might be willing to pay.

I've had this coin since I was a child, about fifty years. In fact, this coin hadn't been minted very long before I got it! As many children, I was interested in a variety of different things as I sought to explore the world from an educational standpoint. A small advertisement in a magazine enticed me into a brief stint of coin collecting (numismatics). I sent a letter with a small amount of money and received a packet of foreign coins — this was one of them. I was delighted to have some money from around the world and plan to share some of the others in future posts.