Jahangir

The Emperor & The Hawk

Cleverly hidden in the design of a silver coin is the story of Mughal emperor Jahangir’s lifelong fascination with birds of prey

Sarmaya Zodiac 2024

All through 2024, explore the Sarmaya collection through the 12 sun signs of the zodiac. Updated every month, from Feb 2024 – Jan 2025

Animal coindom: The symbolism of numismatic flora and fauna

Let’s look into the legends of three animals frequently found on old Indian coins.

Jahangir, Leo Zodiac Silver Rupee of Ahmedabad Mint

This coin is a Silver Zodiac Rupee, minted by Jahangir (r. 1605-1627). Jahangir, a great patron of the arts, took a keen interest in coinage during his reign. The Zodiac coins were the most controversial yet unique ones among his innovative coinage. The ”Tuzuk-e-Jahangiri” mentions that Jahangir ordered to replace the month with the zodiac… Read more »

Jahangir, Aries Zodiac Silver Rupee

Jahangir, a great patron of the arts, took a keen interest in coinage during his reign. Among his innovative coinage, the most controversial yet unique ones were the Zodiac coins. The ‘Tuzuk-e-Jahangiri’ mentions that Jahangir ordered for star constellation figures to replace the inscriptions detailing the month of issue, present on the reverse of the… Read more »

Metal Head: Royal Portraiture on the Ancient and Medieval Coins of India

The rulers of a bygone India put their likenesses on coins to announce in unambiguous terms their absolute dominance over the land. What else do these tiny metal portraits tell us about the subject in question? Let’s peel back the layers

Jahangir, Silver Rupee (Rupiya)

This silver square rupee coin was issued by Jahangir. An inscription in Persian on the obverse reads ‘”Noor ud din Jahangir Shah Akbar Shah.” The reverse shows the Persian month Shahrewar, Ilahi date, and zarb, with test marks appearing on both sides. The Ilahi month inscribed on this silver coin is ‘Shahrewar.’ Jahangir took a… Read more »

Jahangir, Silver Rupee (Rupiya) of Kabul Mint

This coin is a ‘noordah’ couplet coin minted in the town of Kabul. It reads ‘Tazand az namme jahangir shah, sikka buwad noor dahe mihr-o-mah, do chashmi he, zarb kabul’. The coin is silver and struck inside a circle. The coin flan is broad and the inscription on both obverse and reverse appears interspersed with… Read more »

Jahangir, Silver Rupee (Rupiya) of Jalnagar Mint

This coin is a decorative ‘kalima type’ seen during the reign of Jahangir. It was minted probably in the brief period that Bijapur was in the possession of the Mughals. Both Akbar and Jahangir attempted yet failed to consolidate power in the state of Bijapur. The coin is silver and struck inside a circle. The… Read more »

Jahangir, Silver Coin of Agra Mint

Among the Mughals, Jahangir was undoubtedly the greatest patron of the arts, the man with The Eye. To him, even an object of prosaic commerce like the coin deserved to have beauty poured upon it. Jahangiri currency encompasses a remarkable variety of coins with interesting calligraphy and portrait designs. Because he was passionate about poetry,… Read more »

War and Paisa: Mughal numismatics as battle history

Mughal coinage tells an engrossing tale of the rise and fall of its rulers, reflecting their wins and losses on the battlefield

Jahangir, Silver Rupee of Ajmer Mint

This coin is a Silver Rupee of the Ajmer mint issued by Mughal king Jahangir (r. 1605-1627). Jahangir issued many gold and silver coins with poetic verses on them and was the only Mughal emperor to bestow the right of coinage to his royal consort. Read more about him in our Mughal Coins guide.