Shivrai
Shivrai was a copper coin minted during the rule of Marathas and remained in circulation till the end of the 19th century, primarily in the western region of modern-day Maharashtra. Before 1830s, shivrai was valued at 1/74 to 1/80 of a rupee. There are 150 different types of shivrai extant to date.
Shivrai

Pratishkhedekar · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Field
- coin
- Region
- Maratha Empire
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Shivrai was a copper coin minted during the rule of Marathas and remained in circulation till the end of the 19th century, primarily in the western region of modern-day Maharashtra. Before 1830s, shivrai was valued at 1/74 to 1/80 of a rupee. There are 150 different types of shivrai extant to date.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
No house-authored Note is published until its assertions and sources pass the VALÉORINE evidence contract. The documentary article remains available in full while that enrichment is being consolidated.
Documentary enrichment in progress · no unsupported statement published
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Shivrai. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
Documentary evidence
Evidence Panel
not yet certified
- Identity
- resolved
- Independent source families
- 0
- Admitted assertions
- 0
- Open conflicts
- 0
Authority files
wikidata · Q7499426 · wikipedia · Shivrai
In this article
Overview
Overview
In 1885, the British government ordered all local revenue collectors (Mamlatdars) to collect all shivrais and deposit them in treasury. The purpose of this was to bring the new pice, worth 1/64 of rupee, in currency by eliminating this native rival. In 1890, Rev. Abbott collected and studied around 25,000 shivrais. He mentions that they were still in circulation. The shivrai remained in circulation till the end of the 19th century.

Shivrai - copper coin of Maratha Empire. Reverse side. This one has "Shri Raja ShivChhatrapati" imprinted on it. "Shri / Raja / Shiv" on obverse, and "Chhatra / pati" on reverse. This was minted after 1674, i.e., coronation of Shivaji. Current coin is from the collection of Mr. Navin Kishore Mhatre, reproduced here with his permission.
Pratishkhedekar

Shivrai - copper coin of Maratha Empire. Obverse side. This one has "Shri Raja ShivChhatrapati" imprinted on it. "Shri / Raja / Shiv" on obverse, and "Chhatra / pati" on reverse. This was minted after 1674, i.e., coronation of Shivaji.
William Marsden · Numismata Orientalia Illustrata: The Oriental Coins, Ancient and Modern, of His Collection, Described and Historically Illustrated, Volume 2 https: books.google.co.in/books?id=KVNMAAAAcAAJ
Key facts
Key facts
• Denomination — Shivrai • Country — Maratha Empire • Composition — Copper • Years Of Minting — 1674 - 1830 • Circulation — 1674 – late 1890s • Value — 1/74 to 1/80 of rupee • Obverse Design — "Shri / Raja / Shiv" or "Shri / Raja" in Devanagari script, in three or two rows. • Reverse Design — Chhatra / Pati in Devanagari script, in two rows.
Shivaji's Shivrai
Shivaji's Shivrai
When the Maratha warrior Shivaji became Chhatrapati of the Maratha empire, as a symbol of sovereignty, the Rajyaabhisheka Shaka (The Coronation Era) was started. On the occasion of coronation, special coins were minted, including a gold coin called Shivrai Hon. These coins have Shri Raja ShivaChhatrapati, in Devanagari, inscribed on them.
Key facts
Key facts
• Country — Maratha Empire • Denomination — Shivaji's Shivrai • Circulation — 1674 - 1890s • Value — 1/74th to 1/80th of Rupee • Composition — Copper • Obverse Design Date — 1674 • Reverse Design Date — 1674 • Obverse Design — Shri / Raja / Shiv in Devanagari script, in three rows. • Reverse Design — Chhatra / Pati in Devanagari script, in two rows. • Diameter — 23 • Thickness — 4
Dudandi Shivrai
Dudandi Shivrai
Dudandi Shivrais (Marathi: दुदांडी शिवराई) were minted during Peshwa period. Dudandi literally means two-bars. The "Shri" at the top of the obverse is underlined. This horizontal line, combined with the horizontal heading line of the word "Raja", gives us an impression of "Double bars", hence the term "Dudandi".
Key facts
Key facts
• Denomination — Dudandi Shivrai • Country — Maratha Empire • Value — 1/74th to 1/80th of Rupee • Diameter — 20 • Composition — Copper • Circulation — Mid 18th to late 19th century • Obverse Design — Shri / Raja in Devanagari script, in two rows. "Shri" is underlined. • Reverse Design — Chhatra / Pati in Devanagari script, in two rows. • Thickness — 4 • Years Of Minting — Mid 18th Century - 1818
EIC's Shivrai
EIC's Shivrai
The British East India Company minted Shivrais at Poona during the period of 1820–1830. Unlike Earlier Shivrais, these contained year of minting on it. The dotted collar of earlier Shivrais is also absent. The year was given in Fasli era.
Key facts
Key facts
• Denomination — EIC's Shivrai • Country — Company Raj • Value — 1/74th to 1/80th of Rupee • Diameter — 19 • Mass G — 9.80 • Composition — Copper • Years Of Minting — 1820 - 1830 • Circulation — 1820 - Late 1890s • Obverse Design — Numeric Fasli year, "Raja" in Devanagari • Reverse Design — Chhatra / Pati in Devanagari script, in two rows.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Maratha Empire
Country
Shivrai is associated with Maratha Empire.
Country
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Coins
642 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- SemunciaTerminology
- ShengbaoTerminology
- Shield nickelTerminology
- shillingTerminology
- shooting thalerTerminology
- Shu (silver coin)Terminology
- siege moneyTerminology
- SilbergroschenTerminology
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own an object connected with Shivrai?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.