Aurangzeb's Kabul mint operated under perpetually difficult conditions — the city changed hands repeatedly during his reign, and mint continuity depended entirely on whether imperial control of the northwestern passes held against Afghan tribal pressure. Coins struck at Kabul during this window frequently show irregular flans and weak peripheral legends, a direct consequence of inconsistent metal supply and interrupted die production rather than workmanship decline.
Kabul's position as a transit point for Central Asian trade meant these rupees circulated well beyond imperial borders into regions where Mughal administrative reach was nominal at best.
Aurangzeb's Kabul mint operated under perpetually difficult conditions — the city changed hands repeatedly during his reign, and mint continuity depended entirely on whether imperial control of the northwestern passes held against Afghan tribal pressure. Coins struck at Kabul during this window frequently show irregular flans and weak peripheral legends, a direct consequence of inconsistent metal supply and interrupted die production rather than workmanship decline.
Kabul's position as a transit point for Central Asian trade meant these rupees circulated well beyond imperial borders into regions where Mughal administrative reach was nominal at best.