Ranjit Singh, Silver Rupee of Amritsar

A paean to Sikhism. Founder of the Sikh Empire, Ranjit Singh issued a coinage that celebrated the leaders and symbols of the faith. The Farsi inscriptions on his rupees invoke Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh, the first and last of Sikhism’s spiritual masters. They bear the leaf of the holy Ber tree in the compound of the Akal Takht as a turban ornament and a symbol of sovereignty. Sometimes, other Sikh symbols like a kirpan (dagger) or a kanghi (comb) are also seen on his rupees.