Sikh ? Copper Takka 17.7.gms.In the name of Shah Alam II, 1209/36, mint 'Dehra Raja'. 'Dehra Raja' may be identified with Dehra which is presently known as Dehra Dun. It must be noted that 'Dun' here is the name of a river and in the name it serves as a 'descriptor' for 'Dehra'. In the mint-name 'Raja' could well serve a similar purpose –'Dehra Raja' could mean 'King's Dehra'.It is possible that a mint operated at Dehra might have been sustained on copper from neighbouring Nepal and Tibet.Who struck this interesting copper coin is a good question.It bears two distinct mint marks a triangular banner on obverse and a stylized 'dagger' on the reverse. Both these marks have an Awadh / Rohilla pedigree, however by c. 1796, the Rohillas had long been defeated.The area around Dehra Dun was raided by Gujjars,Rajputs,Sikhs and Gurkhas prior to its eventual Nepalese conquest which lasted for almost a decade. We know that the Sikh rulers at Kalsia Chhachrauli) struck coins based on Awadh/Rohilla prototypes and this coin bears similar characteristics. It is therefore very likely that it is a Sikh issue, although more research is needed to support this attribution.

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