Ahmad Shah Bahadur's reign from 1748 to 1754 coincided with the near-total collapse of Mughal central authority following Nadir Shah's 1739 sack of Delhi. The Banaras mint, nominally operating under Mughal sanction, was effectively controlled by the Nawabs of Awadh during this period — Safdar Jung in particular wielded enough autonomous power that coinage struck in the emperor's name was as much a political performance as a monetary function.
Issues from Banaras under Ahmad Shah are distinguishable from other mint outputs of the reign by their characteristically thin, broad flans.
Ahmad Shah Bahadur's reign from 1748 to 1754 coincided with the near-total collapse of Mughal central authority following Nadir Shah's 1739 sack of Delhi. The Banaras mint, nominally operating under Mughal sanction, was effectively controlled by the Nawabs of Awadh during this period — Safdar Jung in particular wielded enough autonomous power that coinage struck in the emperor's name was as much a political performance as a monetary function.
Issues from Banaras under Ahmad Shah are distinguishable from other mint outputs of the reign by their characteristically thin, broad flans.