Afghanistan AH 1255 1/2 rupee
This specimen was lot 498 in Steve Album Auction 55 (Santa Rosa, CA, May 2026), where it sold for $1,200. The catalog description[1] noted, "DURRANI: Shah Shuja', 5th reign, 1839-1842, AR 1/2 rupee, Ahmadshahi, AH(12)55, 4.5 g, extremely rare denomination, struck only at Ahmadshahi for Shah Shuja', strong VF, RRR. The half rupee of Shah Shuja' is extremely rare, none on CoinArchives and just one on Zeno (with full date AH1255)." This type was struck AH 1255 only. This is the only half rupee from Shah Shuja's third reign. The SCWC says it should have a complete date but only part of the last "۵" is visible here at the bottom of the reverse. In 1809, Shah Shujah was overthrown in battle and exiled. He was reinstalled in Kabul in 1839 by the British and the Sikhs and made himself unpopular with the gruesome vengeance he took upon his perceived enemies. He was ambushed and assassinated in 1842 by his godson.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specifications: 4.5 g, silver, this specimen 4.38 g.
Catalog reference: KM 172, A-3146, Zeno-46484.
- Album, Stephen. Checklist of Islamic Coins. Santa Rosa, 1998. Stephen Album.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Hanbing Feng, Auction 55, featuring Selections from the Swamperbob Gurney Collection of Cap & Ray 8 Reales, the Kenneth A. Bovenkamp Collection of Ottoman Coins and the 1914 Collection of World Coins, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2026.
Links: