Discover a distinctive silver rupee from the Maratha Confederacy, struck at the Ahmadabad Mint in the name of Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II. This historic coin combines traditional Mughal monetary conventions with a striking Devanagari legend reading “RAM,” creating an interesting connection between regional Indian coinage, religious symbolism, and 18th-century political history.
Weighing 11.08 grams, this silver rupee features Persian inscriptions associated with Shah Alam II alongside a distinctive reverse design bearing the “RAM” legend and an Ankus mintmark. This combination makes the coin particularly appealing to collectors of Maratha coinage, Mughal-era rupees, and Indian coins featuring Hindu religious names.
OBVERSE:
Features Persian inscriptions issued in the name of Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II, reflecting the established conventions of Mughal-style silver rupees.
REVERSE:
Displays the Devanagari legend “RAM” alongside the Ankus mintmark associated with the Ahmadabad Mint. The presence of the “RAM” legend distinguishes this variety within the broader tradition of regional Indian coinage.
COIN DETAILS:
Authority: Maratha Confederacy
Issued in the Name of: Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II
Denomination: 1 Rupee
Metal: Silver
Weight: 11.08 g
Mint: Ahmadabad (Ahmedabad), Gujarat, India
Special Feature: “RAM” in Devanagari
Mintmark: Ankus
Reference: KM# 252
Period: Maratha-era Indian coinage
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
During the 18th century, the Maratha Confederacy expanded its influence across large parts of India, including Gujarat. Regional authorities frequently retained the name of the Mughal emperor on their coinage, maintaining familiar monetary conventions while exercising power locally.
Ahmadabad was an important commercial and political centre in western India. Coins associated with its mint illustrate the interaction between Mughal monetary traditions and the changing political landscape under Maratha influence.
NUMISMATIC SIGNIFICANCE:
The combination of Mughal imperial titulature, the Devanagari “RAM” legend, and the Ankus mintmark makes this rupee an interesting regional variety. It provides an opportunity to explore the diversity of inscriptions and symbols found on Indian silver coinage during the Maratha period.
COLLECTOR’S APPEAL:
• Silver rupee associated with the Maratha Confederacy
• Struck in the name of Shah Alam II
• Ahmadabad Mint attribution
• Distinctive “RAM” legend in Devanagari
• Ankus mintmark on the reverse
• Catalogue reference KM# 252
• An appealing addition to collections of Maratha, Mughal, and religiously themed Indian coinage
A fascinating silver rupee combining the monetary legacy of the Mughal Empire with the distinctive regional identity of Maratha-era Gujarat.
