Mughal Empire AH 1027/13 1/2 rupee

CNG sale Triton XXVII, lot 1140

This specimen was lot 1140 in CNG sale Triton XXVII (New York, January 2024), where it sold for $36,750. The catalog description^[1] noted, "INDIA, Mughal Empire. Nur al-Din Muhammad Jahangir. AH 1014-1037 / AD 1605-1627. AR Half Rupee. Zodiac Type (month of Tir), Class A. Ahmadabad mint. Dually dated [AH 1027] and RY 13 (22 June-23 July AD 1618). Constellation of Karkata/Kalakang (Cancer the Crab): crab, seen from above; radiate sun behind; stars flanking lower legs; sanat 13 (regnal year 13) in Persian in exergue / zar zewar dar Ahmadabad ruye yaft az Jahangir Shah Akbar Shah; [AH date in exergue]. In NGC encapsulation 6865281-001, graded XF Details, damaged. Small test mark on edge and minor schroff mark on reverse. Of the highest rarity.

Jahangir’s Zodiac coins were struck in both gold and silver, and his half-rupees are the rarest denomination of all. The piece offered here, which is the example illustrated by Liddle, is understood to be only the second Zodiac half-rupee to be offered at public auction in over twenty years."

Jahangir scandalized the strict Muslims of his court by issuing a series of gold mohurs featuring the twelve animals of the zodiac. Always rare, they bring stratospheric prices when they appear at auction. Less well known but perhaps even rarer where the accompanying silver coins, including this half rupee.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 5.72 g, silver, this specimen 18 mm diameter, 5.62 g, 8 h axis.

Catalog reference: Liddle Type S-183 (this coin illustrated); BM –; IMC (Wright) –; Hull –; SACPM (KM) –.

Source:

• Album, Stephen, Checklist of Islamic Coins, 3rd Ed. Santa Rosa, Stephen Album Rare Coins, 2011.
• Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
• ^[1]Gasvoda, Michael, Victor England, Eric McFadden, Dave Michaels, Bill Dalzell and Lance Hickman, Triton XXVII, Lancaster, PA: Classical Numismatic Group, LLC, 2023.

Link to:

• AH 1016/2 jahangiri rupee, Ahmadabad mint
• AH 1015/2 (1607) square mohur, Lahore mint
• AH 1023/9 (1614) portrait mohur
• AH 1026/12 square rupee, Agra mint
• AH 1027/13 rupee, Delhi mint
• AH 1027/13 rupee, Patna mint
• AH 1027/13 zodiac rupee, Cancer, Ahmadabad mint
• AH 1027/13 (1618) rupee, Qandahar mint
• AH 1027/13 rupee, Lahore mint
• AH 1029/15 (1620) mohur, zodiac series, Gemini, Agra mint
• AH 1031/16 rupee, Surat Mint
• AH 1030/16 (1621) mohur, zodiac series, Taurus, Agra mint
• Coins and currency dated 1618