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
Mughal Coins
The Mughal era is well know for the iconic architecture built during the time, but on the opposite end of the spectrum of scale, Mughal coinage and numismatics had a significant and lasting impact on the culture and economics of the subcontinent. Between 1526 and 1857, the Mughals consolidated the monetary systems across the region. The introduced a uniformity of coinage and denominations which was adopted by other neighbouring kingdoms and continues to be influential well after their time. The Sarmaya story is intricately woven with Mughal coins and numismatics in general. Coins remain a significant part of our collection and we do like digging into the subject in great detail. Read our guide to Mughal coins as a good starting point.
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
Is this the first ever ‘rupee’ coin?
A silver coin issued by Mughal ruler Akbar is likely the first ever coin to carry the word ‘rupee’
Animal coindom: The symbolism of numismatic flora and fauna
Let’s look into the legends of three animals frequently found on old Indian coins.
Alamgir II, Silver coin of Gwalior Mint
This double-die-struck silver coin from the Gwalior Mint (Madhya Pradesh) was issued by Alamgir II in 1753-54. Mughal Emperor Alamgir II (1699–1744), also referred to as Aziz–ud–Din Muhammad, ruled Delhi between 1754 and 1759. Regarded as a “puppet” monarch, Alamgir II was manipulated by other court officials and rulers. His four-year tenure saw a rise… Read more »
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 »
Reading between the lines
From medieval coins to colonial-era photography, we bring a diverse array of objects from our collection that reinforce the arguments made by Saubiya Chasmawala’s art
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
Kam Bakhsh, Silver Rupee of Haidarabad Dar ul-Jihad Mint
After Aurangzeb’s death in the year 1707, a war of succession emerged among his three surviving sons. Muazzam, the Governor of Kabul, Azam, the Governor of Gujarat, and Kam Baksh who was the Governor of Deccan, fought each other for the throne. Towards Ahmednagar, Azam had proclaimed himself emperor while on the other hand, the… Read more »
A Story of India in 12 Silver Coins
A rebellious empress, a great ruler of the south, a British queen taking the reins of a colony in revolt. Travel through time and discover Indian history through twelve exceptional silver coins
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 »
Akbar, Copper Tanka of Ujjain Mint
Ujjain has been a prominent urban centre stretching back to 600 BCE. In ancient India, it was one of the most important hubs connecting all the major trade routes, including those from Pataliputra (Bihar), Shravasti (Near Sopara in present-day Maharashtra) and Bharuch in Gujarat. Ujjain was the capital of power and learning, from where the… Read more »
Nur Jahan, Silver Rupee Coin of Agra Mint
This coin is symbolic of both the power and the precariousness of a queen’s role in an empire of men. Nur Jahan was the twentieth wife of Jahangir and especially favoured by the emperor. This placed her a unique position for a woman of her time and she used it to influence Mughal politics and… Read more »
Muhammad Shah, Silver Rupee of Kolhapur Mint
In the years following Aurangzeb’s death in 1707, the lustre of the Mughal empire began to dull. Territories shrunk as three emperors came and went, dispatched speedily by enemies and influential noblemen. But even in these uncertain times, one managed stay on and reign for 29 years. Roshan Akhtar Muhammad Shah, popularly known as Rangeela,… Read more »
Aurangzeb, Silver Coin of Gingee Mint
Gingee was a formidable fort in southern Arcot in the erstwhile Carnatic region. It was captured by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1677 and remained in the hands of the Marathas until 1698. In this year, Shivaji’s son Rajaram Bhosle I ensconced himself in the fort in response to Aurangzeb’s advancing armies in the kingdom. Mughal… Read more »
Akbar, Silver Coin of Elichpur Mint
Elichpur has an interesting place in history. The city today known as Achalpur in Maharasthra was for long a bone of contention between a revolving group of players including the Delhi Sultans, the Mughals, the Marathas and other kingdoms. Elichpur makes an appearance in medieval texts for the first time in 1269 CE, when Alauddin… 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
Akbar, Quarter Silver Rupee of Lahore Mint
This quarter silver rupee weighs 2.74 grams—a silver rupee during Akbar’s reign would weigh between 10 to 11 grams. In addition, this is an Ilahi type coin, which means it’s dated in the Ilahi era as opposed to the more Hijri era favoured by Islamic rulers. Din-i-ilahi was the faith founded by Akbar in AH… Read more »
Babur, Shahrukhi Coin of Badakshan Mint
Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty was a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan—and he didn’t want you to forget it. One of the ways in which he pledged his allegiance was by introducing the Shahrukhi denomination of coin to the Subcontinent. Shahrukhis were flat, round silver coins first issued by the Timurid ruler… Read more »
‘Golden Age: What Mughal Coins Tell Us About the Great Empire’ by Paul Abraham
Banker by profession and numismatist by passion, Paul maps the expanse of the Mughal empire and the breadth of its ambition through its coinage