‘Those Magnificent Mughals: 400 Years of Design Inspiration’ by Pavitra Rajaram
Designer and entrepreneur Pavitra Rajaram on the indelible footprint of the Mughal taste-makers on India’s art, culture, architecture and fashion
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.
Akbar, Silver Coin of Ahmedabad Mint
This silver coin seems to have been struck on an existing Nazarana coin. The word Nazarana is derived from the Persian ‘nazr’ and means a presentation or tribute. On special occasions, Nazaranas or Nazars were presented to the king. People would order and buy these coins from the mint when they wanted to make a… Read more »
Aurangzeb, Silver Coin of Chinnapattam Mint
The emperor of Hindustan from 1658 to 1707, Aurangzeb was driven by a coruscating ambition. The Mughal empire burgeoned to its maximum size under his reign. However, he was a conservative when it came to coin design. Read more about how the personality of an emperor got imprinted on the coins issued by him in… Read more »
Shah Jahan, Silver Nisar Coin of Burhanpur Mint
Nisar coins are named for their main purpose, ie scattering into the crowd by royalty. They were deployed for occasions that demanded ceremonial generosity, like at investitures, weddings or grand entrances. These coins were particularly lightweight. In addition to the regular gold, silver and copper coins, Shah Jahan released unique silver Nisar coins to present… Read more »
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.
Shah Alam II, Gold Mohur Coin of Shahjahanabad Mint
This is a gold mohur issued by Shah Alam II (1759-1806) was minted in Dar Ul Khilafat or the capital, Shahjahanabad. To read more on Mughal coins, click here.
Jahangir, Silver Rupee of Tatta Mint
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. To read more on Mughal coins, click here.
Jahandar Shah, Gold Mohur Coin of Akbarabad Mint
Jahandar Shah was the son of Bahadur Shah I and ruled for a very brief period. After their father’s death on February 27, 1712, he and his brother Azim-ush-Shan both proclaimed themselves emperors and waged a succession fight. Jahandar Shah issued coins and reintroduced couplets inscribed in gold, silver and copper. He issued coins with… Read more »
Alamgir II, Silver Rupee of Najibabad Mint
Alamgir II was a Mughal Emperor who ruled from the capital of Delhi during the latter part of the 18th century. Being raised to the throne at the age of fifty-five, he was a relatively weak and incapable ruler, and was more likely a ‘puppet king’ controlled by other powerful authoritarians. He was, however, a… Read more »
Numismatics workshop for City As Lab
Our first outreach workshop of 2019 was all about the money!
Mughal Coins
A Brief History of the Mughal Empire in Coins From 1526 to 1857, as the fortunes of the empire went from shaky to glorious before withering into decay, its currency too reflected these shifting sands. READ MORE Queen of Hearts Only one Mughal empress in history had the distinction of issuing coins in her… Read more »
A Brief History of the Mughal Empire Through Its Coins
Over the period from 1526 to 1857, as the fortunes of the Mughal empire went from shaky to glorious and then withered to decay, its currency too reflected these shifting sands.
The Man Behind Sarmaya
Meet Paul Abraham, the collector who turned a childhood hobby into a lifelong quest for beauty and wonder. For the story of Sarmaya is the story of one man following his curiosity through the history and art landscapes of India.
Sarmaya Collector’s Edition: On coins
Find out how the founder of Sarmaya was inspired to start his collection of rare Indian art and historical artefacts. Paul Abraham explains the power of old coins to instantly transport him to another world. It’s a kind of magic that has lasted a lifetime and led him to many other fascinating discoveries. This is… Read more »