½ Rupee - Shah Jahan Surat

Reverse

Shahjahan badshah ghazi saheb-e-qiran sani

Edge

Plain

Comment

Coinage

One of the first acts of Shah Jahan, following his accession, was that he forbade, and introduced the death penalty, for anyone found using the Zodiac coins issued by Jahangir, as well as coins bearing the name of his step-mother, Nur Jahan. Shah Jahan was a devout Muslim and considered the Zodiac coins bearing figures of animals and humans as un-Islamic.

The Rupees of Shah Jahan bear a standard mint formula:
Obverse: This comprises the most essential feature of an Islamic coin ie the declaration of the holy Islamic creed or 'Kalima' that is placed in the middle within geometric shape of circle, square etc; together with the names and attributes of the four ‘Rashiduns’ (Rightfully Guided Caliphs) around; and the Hijri date (Anno Hegira or AH).
Reverse: This comprises the ruler's regnal title in the middle within circle, square etc (Shah Jahan Badshah Ghazi); name and epithet around (Muhammad Shahabuddin Sahib Qiran Sani) together with the mint name and/or its epithet, and regnal year.

The silver rupees of Shah Jahan are popularly known as ‘Shahjahanis’ with a standard weight of 11.4g, though variations are known between 11.1-11.6g.

• Pre-accession coins in the name of Khurram are known from 2 mints: Lahore and Surat.
• Post-accession Kalima type coins are known naming the Caliphs and also without the names of the Caliphs. The Kalima, without exception, is a standard feature on rupees.

The most prolific mint for Rupees is Surat, undoubtedly due to its port and flourishing trade routes that ushered in prosperity enabling considerable mint output for the rupees.

The person and his reign

Shah Jahan was born during the auspicious millennium year of AH 1000 on 30 Rabi-ul-awwal, corresponding to 05 Jan 1592, in Lahore, Pakistan. He was the 3rd son of Jahangir and his mother was a Rajput princess, Jagat Gosain (her official name in Mughal chronicles was Bilkis Makani), daughter of Rana Udai Singh Rathore, the Maharaja of Jodhpur. Akbar, the ruling Mughal Emperor at the time, was so thrilled at the birth of his grandson that he named him Khurram, which means "Joyful" or “Joyous” in Persian.

His reign is often referred to as the ‘Golden Age of the Mughal Period’. Following his accession, Shah Jahan commissioned for himself the “Takht-e-Tavus” (translated “Jewelled Throne”), also known as the Peacock Throne. Shah Jahan devoted much of his energy and passion to building majestic monuments to showcase the Mughal grandeur. He built the Red Fort and Jama Masjid in Delhi, Shalimar Gardens in Lahore, Moti Masjid in Agra Fort and of course, the Taj Mahal at Agra. He also built a new city in 1648 and gave it his name calling it Shahjahanabad (now known as Old Delhi).

Interesting fact