Lot 419

Mughal, Akbar (AH 963-1014, 1556-1605 AD), Silver Rupee, 11.33 gms, 22.84 mm, Sitpur Mint, Ilahi Month Mihr (Libra), Year 48, with the Persian word Darb for half, which is usually found on Half Rupee coins, The word ‘darb’ inscribed on the reverse poses a conundrum: one hand it has been listed by the author of Ain-e-Akbari as an official denomination issued by the royal mint during the reign of Akbar. The text explicitly lists ‘darb’ as being an official silver coin that is half a ‘Jalalah’ which in turn is described as a square silver rupee.  However, the word is found inscribed on silver rupees issued from the mint of Sitpur, for the Ilahi years 48-49 (1011-12 CE). Another explanation of the word can be arrived at, by considering the meaning of the word ‘darb’ in Farsi / Persian which was the official court language of the Moghuls. In Farsi the word ‘darb’ has the additional meaning of a ‘port’ (for ships), in which case the word ‘darb’ can considered as an epithet of the mint name: port of Sitpur, similar to the usage of the word ‘bandar’ to designate a port town / city. The coin being offered here is a beautiful, high grade specimen of this series, KM # 94.4, very fine+, extremely rare.