Item number: A1412

Year: AD 1582 (AH 990)

Material: Gold

Size: 18.5 x 18.4 x 1.7 mm

Weight: 10.9 g

Provenance: Stephen Album Rare Coins 2024

This is a square-shaped Mohur gold coin, rich in Indian characteristics, minted in AH 990 (AD 1582) by Emperor Akbar, the ruler of the Mughal Empire, to commemorate the upcoming Islamic year 1000 (AD 1591).

On the obverse side of the square coin is a diamond-shaped outline, within which the familiar Muslim Kalima is inscribed in Persian, stating, “There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.” At the corners surrounding the outline are the names of the four rightly guided caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali.

The reverse of the gold coin features a four-line inscription. Between two horizontal lines is the ruler’s title and name, “Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar Badshah Gazi”. The inscription near the top includes the symbol “ألف” (Alf), representing the Islamic year 1000 (AD 1591), which is a distinctive feature of this coin. At the top is a religious blessing, “May the Kingdom of Allah be Eternal”, while the bottom indicates the minting location, “Camp associated with victory.”

While the Mughal Empire’s commercial trade primarily revolved around silver coins, the Mohur gold coin, often issued by the emperor as gifts or to commemorate special occasions, held significant cultural and ceremonial value. During Akbar’s reign, there was a peak in the minting of Mohur coins in the empire.

Besides the commonly seen circular coins, there were also rectangular and even polygonal coins, reflecting the distinct characteristics of the Indian subcontinent. Around the year AD 1580, Akbar adjusted the inscriptions and calendars on the coins to lessen the Islamic influences. Additionally, he minted a few Mohur coins featuring imagery of living creatures, particularly duck, which was considered controversial and potentially conflicting with Islamic doctrines.

During the reign of Akbar, from AD 1556 to AD 1605, as the third emperor, he led the Mughal Empire to its zenith. Not only did Akbar expand the empire’s territories externally, but he also implemented policies of religious tolerance domestically. He elevated the status of indigenous Hindus and encouraged the development of culture and education, earning him the title of the greatest emperor of the Mughal Empire.

物件編號: A1412

年代: 公元 1582 (回曆 990) 年

材質: 黃金

尺寸: 18.5 x 18.4 x 1.7 mm

重量: 10.9 g

來源: 史蒂芬稀有硬幣專輯 2024

這是一枚回曆990年(公元1582年)，統治蒙兀兒帝國的阿克巴大帝為了預祝回曆1000年(公元1591年) 到來，鑄造之極富印度特色的方形莫哈爾金幣。

方形金幣正面是一個菱形輪廓，輪廓內以波斯文鐫刻穆斯林熟悉的清真言，即「萬物非主，唯有真主，穆罕默德是真主的使者」。周圍的角落則是四位正統哈里發：阿布·巴克爾(ابو بكر)、歐瑪爾(عمر)、奥斯曼(عثمان)和阿里(على)的名諱。

金幣的背面則有四行銘文，兩條水平線之間的內容是統治者頭銜和名字「賈拉盧丁·穆罕默德·阿克巴爾·巴德沙·加齊」，而在靠近上面的那排銘文交雜著「ألف」代表回曆1000年 (公元1591年) 為這枚錢幣的一大特色。錢幣頂端是帶有宗教意涵的「願真主的國度永存」祝福，最下方則是標示鑄造地點「與勝利相關的篷帳」。

蒙兀兒帝國的商業貿易以銀幣為主，稱為「莫哈爾」的金幣多半是皇帝作為賞賜或慶祝特殊節慶發行的禮物。阿克巴統治時期是帝國鑄造金幣的高峰。除了常見的圓形外，亦有極富印度次大陸特色的矩形，甚至是多角形的不同形狀。公元1580年之際，阿克巴為淡化伊斯蘭信仰的色彩，針對錢幣的銘文和曆法作調整外，還鑄造些許有違背伊斯蘭教義嫌疑，即出現活物「鴨子」圖像的莫哈爾金幣。

公元1556年至公元1605年間，阿克巴作為第三任皇帝帶領蒙兀兒帝國走上巔峰。阿克巴對外擴充帝國的疆域外，內政上實施宗教寬容的政策，提升本土印度教徒地位和鼓勵文教發展，使他成為蒙兀兒帝國最偉大的皇帝。