How did 'Nishka' transition from jewelry to currency?

Its standardized weight and value as a gold ornament made it a convenient unit for barter, which eventually led to its use as a precursor to formal coinage.

Economic Evolution in Ancient India

UPSC Archival Analysis

Q: During the Rigvedic Period word 'Nishka' was used for a Jewellery but in later period it was used for the meaning of:

In the Rigvedic period, 'Nishka' was an ornament, but in later periods, it evolved to mean a coin. It became a standardized unit of currency and exchange.

Exam Year

1993

Evidence Source

Link

ID: ART_MIS_1993_28 Ref: Themes in Indian History - Part I