2019-11-22 Fri

This silver Zodiacal Leo Rupee which weighs around 11.47g was issued by Mughal Emperor Jahangir from the mint Ahmedabad during the 13th year of his reign in the Hijri year 1027. This silver rupee is sold for INR 9,00,000 in an auction of Oswal Antiques which was held in Pune on 16th November 2019.

The reign of Jahangir in the Mughal Empire is marked with the remarkable varieties and magnificent coins. His portrait and Zodiac signs coins are an excellent example of the evolution of epigraphic and calligraphy.

In Zodiac ‘Leo’ was the special sign of Mughal Emperor Jahangir because it was his birth sign according to Iranian astrology. According to astrology, the sign of Leo was considered to be the domicile of Jupiter, the planet which is associated with kingship.

The obverse of this coin depicts a lion emerging from the sun with the regnal year 13 at the bottom. Both the‘lion and Sun’ was also the Mughal emblem of the state. The reverse of this coin is inscribed as ‘Zar Ahmedabad ra dad zewar, Shah Jahangir Shahenshah Akbar, with Hijri date and complete mint name at the bottom.’

Image Courtesy: Oswal Antiques