Akbar’s Coins

The reign of Akbar saw the peak of success of Mughal Empire. His coinage included gold, silver and copper, the weight and fabric followed the Suri coinage.

The gold coins called ‘muhar’, and were similar as those of Humayun. The shape of the Akbar’s coins was round which changed to square later on. The round and square coins were issued simultaneously during 1585 A.D. to 1590 A.D. Later square coins were abandoned and round coins were issued.

Akbar also issued some commemorative gold coins in Mihrabi shape i.e. Hexagonal with oblong upper and lower sides and left right sides in the shape of domes.

Till 1585 A.D. the gold and silver coins were issued in ‘Kalima’ type. They followed the earlier ‘Shah rukhi’ coins like those of Babur and Humayun. The coins were issued with ‘Kalima’ on the obverse and names of Four Caliphs, on the reverse. The Emperor with or without titles, the pious wish, the name of the mint with or without epithet and the date in the Hijri era. The dates in Hijri era were inscribed in a regular manner till 998 A.H. then the word “Alif” was introduced to denote 1000.

During the period of change in Akbar’s religious thinking, ‘Kalima’ was removed and its place was given to Ilahi creed, Obverse: ‘Allah Akbar’; Reverse: ‘Jal Jalala(hu)’, including these, name of the emperor was also withdrawn.

Akbar also introduced the pictorial motifs on some of his coins. The gold coin issued to commemorate the conquest of the fortress of Asirgarh, bear a hawk on obverse and mint name and date on reverse. Some silver coins showing Akbar on a horse back with a hawk may be issued on this occasion. In later years, the mintless gold and silver coins with the effigy of ‘Ram & Sita’ with the words ‘Ramsiya’ in Nagari on obverse, another pictorial coin with the duck was issued in the same year.

The copper coins called ‘Dam’, was the fortieth part of a silver rupee. The fractional coins of it were ‘nisfi’ or ‘adhelah’ (half), ‘paula’ or ‘rabi’ or ‘damra’ (quarter) and ‘damri’ (one eighth).

After these coins a new coin known as ‘tankah’ was introduced, it was twice the weight of the ‘dam’ (664 grains). ‘Dam’ was termed as ‘nim tanka’ as (half tanka). After sometime another series of coins was issued known as ‘tanki’. The copper coins of Akbar followed Babur and Humayun except the name of the mint as ‘falus’ or ‘sika falus’ on obverse and date in Persian on reverse.