17th century zodiac gold mohur highlights Stephen Album auction

By Jeff Starck

Published: Dec 29, 2014, 9 AM

A circa 1618 to 1619 gold mohur of Mughal ruler Jahangir, issued as part of a zodiac series, is estimated to sell for $35,000 to $45,000 at auction.

Images courtesy of Stephen Album Rare Coins.

A rare gold mohur of Mughal Empire ruler Jahangir, issued as part of a series of Zodiac coins, highlights Stephen Album Rare Coins’ Auction 21.

The sale is scheduled on Jan. 15 and 16 in the firm’s offices in Santa Rosa, Calif. The auction includes ancient, Islamic, Chinese, Indian and world coins, and numismatic literature, totaling 2,126 lots.

The A.H. 1028 (circa 1618 to 1619) coin was struck at Agra in the 14th year of Jahangir’s reign.

The obverse of the coin shows Aries (a ram) with a rising sun behind, and text below. Text fills the reverse side.

The Agra Mint issued monthly zodiac mohurs for five years, from A.H. 1028 to A.H. 1033 (from about 1618 to 1623), and it is likely that coins representing each of the 12 zodiac signs were struck each year.

Aries is one of the rarest, according to the firm, noting that the British Museum catalog lists Aries coins from only two years, A.H. 1028 and A.H. 1030.

No original example of the Aries mohur has been sold at public auction in more than a decade, according to the firm.

The offered Aries gold mohur is graded Extremely Fine 45 by Numismatic Guaranty Corp., and has an estimate of $35,000 to $45,000.

For more information, visit Album’s website.

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