Nepal 1/4, 1/2, 1, and 2 Paisa 1935 to 1953

These low-denomination coins (there are 100 paisa in 1 rupee) are made of copper and bear various symbols associated with Buddhism in Nepal.

All these coins, the 1/4, 1/2, 1, and 2 paisa bear the same pattern but differ in size. Collectors seek them with equal diligence, so catalog values for all denominations are about the same. Since they are fairly modern coins, values are low.

worn: $1 US dollar approximate catalog value
average circulated: $2
well preserved: $4
fully uncirculated: $10

The date is intriquing, of course. You have to know two things to transform it to a Western (Gregorian) date. First, you have to know the numeric characters, shown here. (There are others found on Nepalese coins which are not in our figure.) Then you have to know that Nepalese coins use three different dating systems: the NS and SE systems before 1888AD, and the Vikrama Samvat (VS) system after. (This is an oversimplification.) To find the AD date from the VS date, subtract 57 years.

Theo's coin (she sent us this picture) is dated VS2000, which is the same as 1943AD.
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