Two Extremely Rare Rupees

346, Lot: 616. Estimate $300. Sold for $320. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

INDIA, Mughal Empire. Muhyi al-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir. AH 1068-1118 / AD 1658-1707. AR Rupee (21mm, 11.40 g, 2h). Multan mint. Dually dated RY 20 and AH 1088 (AD 1678). Cf. Saran Singh, “The First Coins of the Sikhs,” ONS Newsletter 144 (Spring 1995), p. 8 (for a later Mughal issue with the symbol); Wright -; Hull 1779 var. (no khanda); KM 300.63 var. (same). VF, schroff marks, surface cracks on reverse. Extremely rare.

The Sikh khanda symbol on the second line of the reverse consists of a double-edged sword encircled by a chakram and flanked by two additional swords. As this coin predates the Sikh rise to power, the presence of the khanda symbol remains an enigma.