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1 Rupee - Shah Alam II Surat Mint
| Issuer | Mughal Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 1775-1797 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Rupee |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central field dominated by bold Nasta'liq Arabic calligraphy bearing the royal legend, framed above and below by horizontal linear borders. A distinctive Surat Mint privy mark — a cluster of pellets — appears in the lower segment, serving as the mint identifier. Additional decorative floral or star-shaped ornaments are interspersed within the legend field. The irregular flan edges, typical of hammered coinage, are visible around the periphery. The overall style reflects the late Mughal artistic tradition of heavily calligraphic silver coinage. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | شاه عالم بادشاه |
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| Additional information |
Shah Alam II spent much of his reign as a pensioner of foreign powers — first the Marathas, then the British East India Company following the Treaty of Allahabad in 1765. The Surat mint itself was ceded to the Company in 1800, which effectively ended Mughal striking authority there. Rupees bearing his name were produced across dozens of mints for over four decades, many issuing coins long after any practical imperial control had dissolved.
KM#724 Surat issues are distinguished from the wider Shah Alam II rupee family by their specific mint epithet. The Surat mint had been a major commercial port facility since the 16th century, with the Dutch, English, and Mughal administrations all operating financial infrastructure there simultaneously at various points.