1/2 Paisa - Aurangzeb Surat mint

Aurangzeb's copper coinage has long been overshadowed by his silver rupees, but the fractional copper issues from Surat tell a different administrative story. Surat was the Mughal Empire's most important port through the late 17th century — the primary gateway for hajj departures and the main conduit for European trade revenue — which made its mint output practically significant beyond its face value.

KM# A297.1 is among the less documented fractional types, and genuine examples are frequently confused with contemporary imitations struck for local bazaar use.