Silver Rupee of Jahangir – Qandahar Mint

 

Reverse

Inscription	Sikka Qandahar Dil-khwah shad 1028	सिक्का क़न्धार ददिल-ख़्वाह शद 1028	سکہ قندھار دلخواہ شد 1028
Translation	The coin of Qandahar was made attractive (lit. as per heart’s desire)	क़न्धार के सिक्के को मनोवांछित बनाया 1028	قندھار کے سکہ کو حسب دل خواہ بنایا 1028

 

Obverse

Inscription	Az Jahangir Shah Sanah 13 Akbar Shah	अज़ जहाँगीर शाह सनह 13 अकबर शाह	از جہانگیر شاہ سنہ 13 اکبر شاہ
Translation	By Jahangir Shah (Son of) Akbar Shah Year 13	जहाँगीर शाह (पुत्र) अकबर शाह ने वर्ष 13	جہانگیر شاہ (بن) اکبر شاہ نے سنہ 13

 

(The reverse and obverse are exchanged intentionally as to make the whole inscription easier to read)

The coin

Qandahar was a much-contested city, it changed hands several times between the Mughals and Persians. This coin is struck during the Mughal occupation during 1594 AD (1003 AH) and 1622 AD (1032 AH). Despite the city being in the Empire during Akbar’s rule, no coins of his are known of Qandahar mint. The mint was re-established in the sixth year of Jahangir’s rule.[i]

A beautiful specimen of the "thick" Jahangiri style, with the inscription resting on a "carpet" of flowers and a high relief. The main letters are raised by more than 1mm over the flan. This is quite noticeable since the overall thickness of the coin is about 4mm.[ii]

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[i] Wright, H. N. (1908). Coins in the Indian Museum Calcutta. London: University of Oxford.

[ii] COININDIA. (n.d.). The Coin Galleries: Jahangir. Retrieved from COININDIA: https://coinindia.com/galleries-jahangir.html