2017-10-28 Sat

Emperor Jahangir introduced a remarkable variety of magnificent gold Mohurs during his reign. The most famous ones are the zodiac Mohurs, which along with his portrait coins are unique specimens of Mughal coinage.

Jahangir issued some coins bearing his own portrait which he presented to his favourites. These coins are similar to the previous issue on which he depicted a portrait of Emperor Akbar.

He also issued an attractive series of coins in silver, illustrating twelve months of the Persian calendar.

Adorned with his portrait or signs of the zodiac, the coins issued by Jahangir are a development from the epigraphic coins issued by most Muslim rulers. His father, Akbar, had also experimented with different imagery, including hawks and ducks.

The above–shown gold Mohur was minted during the reign of Emperor Jahangir. The obverse of this coin depicts a nimbate portrait of Jahangir, seated cross-legged, reclining against a bolster on a hexagonal throne, holding a goblet like ornament in his right hand. A Persian couplet around the coun reads “Qiza-e- bar sikka zad kard tasveer shabih-e-hazrat shah Jahangir” (Destiny has made the picture of the lines of venerable king Jahangir on this gold coin).

The reverse of this coin illustrates a symbol of a sun bust in the centre with compartments on either side - the one of the left has a Persian inscription “Zarb Ajmer 1023AH” and that on the right has an inscription “Ya Mueen Sanah 9”. Another Persian couplet is depicted in the margins above and below “Huruf-e-Jahangir wa Allahu Akbar Za Roz-e-Awwal dar Adad Shud Barabar”.

Islam prohibits displaying images or idols of humans or animals. As soon as Shah Jahan came to power, he imposed a death penalty for the circulation of coins depicting portraits and zodiac signs. People were ordered to return these coins to the royal mint where they were melted down. Due to this reason, these coins are extremely rare.

This gold Mohur depicts a beautiful Portrait of Jahangir, minted in Ajmer; it weighs around 10.811g. It was sold for INR 45,00,000 by Classical Numismatic Gallery.