Dam (Indian coin)

Copper dam of emperor Akbar, Zafar Qarin mint, AH 1100 (1591-92).

Sher Shah Suri issued Dam, a copper coin with lower value as compared to silver (Rupiya) and gold (Mohur) coins

A dam was a small Indian copper coin. The coin was first introduced by Sher Shah Suri during his rule of India between 1540 and 1545, along with Mohur , the gold coin and Rupiya the silver coin. ^[1] Later on, the Mughal Emperors standardised the coin along with other silver (Rupiya) and gold (Mohur) coins in order to consolidate the monetary system across India. A rupee was divided into 40 dams. ^[2]

It is believed that this coin is one of the possible sources for the English word "damn" and the phrase "I don't care a damn", due to its small worth. ^{[3] [4]}

See also

• Money portal

• Mohur
• History of the rupee

References

1. Mughal Coinage Archived 2008-05-16 at the Wayback Machine at RBI Monetary Museum. Retrieved on 4 May 2008.
2. Habib, Irfan (1986). An Atlas of the Mughal Empire: Political and Economic Maps with Detailed Notes, Bibliography and Index (reprint ed.). New Delhi: Oxford University Press. pp. VII.
3. Gorrell, Robert, Watch Your Language: Mother Tongue and Her Wayward Children, University of Nevada Press, 1994. Watch Your Language at Google Books
4. Green’s Dictionary of Slang