Lot 2273

Description

Jahangir, (A.H. 1014-1037, A.D.1605-1628), Portrait round Gold mohur, (10.98 grams), un-named mint, dated A.H. 1028 (A.D. 1618-9) but probably a 19th century copy, Regnal Year 14, obv. Brahma bull standing left, with radiate sun behind, rev. Persian couplet in four lines across field with dates, (KM. 180.4, Fr.763, Hull 1381, 1384). Good very fine and rare.

The emperor Jahangir struck a remarkable series of figural type rupees and mohurs, unprecedented for a Muslim prince. Besides extremely rare portrait pieces, he instituted a series of Zodiacal types, each one to be struck in the corresponding month. The obverse dies were reused from year to year, new dated reverses being produced for each subsequent issue. In addition, special specimen strikes were apparently produced for important visitors to the Mughal court, each receiving a coin with his Zodiac symbol. These Zodiac presentation coins continued to be struck for the Mughal emperors until the final dissolution of the empire in the 19th century. It is important to distinguish the early restrikes, which were official issues of the Mughal court, from the later imitations, which are private strikes made for purposes of bullion accumulation, or for the deception of collectors. Many of the official court types, both Jahangir's originals and the restrikes of his successors, are extremely rare, with no known complete set of the mohurs in private hands.