INDIA, Princely States. Kashmir. Rupee (Silver, 20 mm, 10.73 g, 12 h), in the name of Ranbīr Singh (1856-1885), Srinagar, VS 1917 = AD 1860. English intials JHS; below ‘1917’ (in Persian); to left, leaf mint mark. Rev. Traces of ‘Ranbīr Singh’ in Persian. Yeoman 13. Beautifully toned. Small flan faults, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.



The meaning of the initials JHS has long been debated, but they are generally believed to refer to the well-known Christian Christogram JHS/IHS, derived from the Latin expression Jesus Hominum Salvator (‘Jesus, Savior of Mankind’).

According to a traditional account, a Dogra court official named Anand, originally a Brahmin who later converted to Christianity, persuaded a Raja to incorporate the symbol into his coinage. The decision was reportedly intended both to strengthen relations with the British administration and to invoke divine favor for the ruler's reign.