1 Mohar - Rana Bahadur

Historical Context: The 1 Mohar of Rana Bahadur, issued 1789-1798 CE, represents a crucial period in Nepalese history. Rana Bahadur Shah, often ruling through regents, oversaw significant territorial expansion and consolidation of the unified Gorkha Kingdom. This era was marked by internal political complexities and burgeoning external relations with Tibet and British India. As the primary silver currency, these Mohars are vital numismatic records, reflecting Nepal's economic and political standing during its formative years.

Artistry: The specific engraver for this coin type is unrecorded, typical of Nepalese minting practices. The design adheres to the traditional Gorkha stylistic school, characterized by intricate, densely arranged Devanagari script. Both obverse and reverse typically feature the monarch’s name, royal titles (e.g., Shri Shri Shri Maharaja Adhiraja), and a Vikram Samvat date. These elements are often artfully contained within geometric patterns like squares or octagons, surrounded by decorative motifs, emphasizing epigraphic detail.

Technical/Grading: This silver 1 Mohar (5.6 grams, 27.5 millimeters) exhibits characteristics typical of hand-struck Nepalese coinage. High-points for wear are often the central Devanagari legends and outer decorative elements. Due to manual striking, examples frequently display variations in strike pressure, centering, and planchet shape. Full and even strikes across all intricate design elements, especially the fine script, are uncommon; weakness is often observed on peripheral legends. Die cracks are also characteristic of this period's production.