Mughal Empire (1749)/2 rupee KM-447.1
This specimen was lot 2695 in Stephen Album sale 37 (Santa Rosa, CA, June 2020), where it sold for $95.20. The catalog description[1] noted, "MUGHAL: Ahmad Shah Bahadur, 1748-1754, AR rupee, Kashmir, year 2, one spot of weakness towards the rim, rare type with distinctive obverse legend used only at Kashmir, Fine to VF, R." This type bears only a regnal date and was issued during years 1-6. Kashmir is a rare mint among the dozens of mints that issued Mughal coins.
Wikipedia notes, "Ahmad Shah Bahadur, also known as Mirza Ahmad Shah or Mujahid-ud-Din Ahmad Shah Ghazi (23 December 1725 – 1 January 1775) was born to Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah. He succeeded his father to the throne as the 13th Mughal Emperor in 1748 at the age of 22. When Ahmed Shah Bahadur came to power, the Mughal Empire was collapsing. Furthermore, his administrative weaknesses eventually led to the rise of the usurping Feroze Jung III. Ahmed Shah Bahadur inherited a much weakened Mughal state. He was emperor in title for six years, but left all affairs of state to rivalling factions. He was deposed by the Vizier Feroze Jung III and later blinded along with his mother. He spent the remaining years of his life in prison and died of natural causes in January 1775."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 11.0-11.6 g, silver, 11.17 g.
Catalog reference: KM-447.1.
- Album, Stephen, Checklist of Islamic Coins, 3rd Ed. Santa Rosa, Stephen Album Rare Coins, 2011.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Auction 37, featuring the Gamal Amer Collection of Egyptian Coins and the Ahmed Sultan Collection of Ottoman Coins, Part II, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2020.
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