Mughals, Azam Shah (AH 1118-1119, 1707 AD), Silver Rupee, (Wt: 11.57 grams, Dia: 23.05 mm), Ahmedabad Mint, AH 1119/Ahd, with coupet, (KM 332.4). Gem uncirculated, Very Rare.

Obv: Persian legend “Sikka zad dar jahan ba daulat-o-jah, Badshah-i-mamalik Azam Shah” “Azam Shah, sovereign of the realms, struck coin in the world with fortune and majesty.”

Rev: Persian legend “Sanah Ahad julus-i-ashraf “The first year of the most noble accession” arranged at the top in two lines, with “zarb Ahmedabad” (“Struck at Ahmedabad”) below.

A Brief Claim to the Mughal Throne

One of the most elusive rulers from the Mughal Empire, Azam Shah's reign lasted scarcely over 3 months. This Rupee delivers entirely appealing luster, with limited signs of actual circulation. A few shroff marks are seen on the edges, though these do not terribly effect the eye appeal of this example.

Following Aurangzeb’s death, Azam Shah proclaimed himself emperor at Ahmadnagar on 14 March 1707, entering the struggle for succession against his elder half-brother, Prince Muazzam, the future Bahadur Shah I. Coins issued in Azam Shah’s name during this brief period served as tangible declarations of his claim to imperial sovereignty. His earlier connections with the Deccan, Gujarat, and Malwa help explain the concentration of his coinage among mints in western and central India. This Alamgirpur rupee belongs to that short-lived series. Its confident “Ba Daulat-o-Jah” couplet, invoking fortune and majesty, contrasts poignantly with the brevity of his imperial ambitions.

Azam Shah’s claim ended with his defeat and death at the Battle of Jajau in June 1707, scarcely three months after his proclamation. Bearing “Ahd,” the first regnal year, this rupee preserves the opening and only chapter of his coinage as emperor. Extremely Rare