Coin
BackDescription:
Gold coin of the Mugal ruler Jahangir (r. 1605– 27), zodiac coin bearing the figure of the Sagittarius on the obverse and an inscription on the reverse, minted in Lahore.
Object type: | coin |
Museum number: | 1937,0506.3 |
Culture/period: | Mughal dynasty |
Date: | 1605-1627 (AH 1014-1037) |
Production place: | Minted in: Lahore |
Materials: | gold |
Dimensions: | Weight: 10.90 g Diameter: 21.00 mm |
Location: | 17 |
Acquisition names: | Purchased from: R B Whitehead |
Acquisition date: | 1937 |
Curator's comments:
The Mughal ruler Jahangir (r. 1605–27) took a particular interest in coins minted during his reign. He wrote in his memoirs: ‘…it entered my mind that in place of the month they should substitute the figure of the constellation which belonged to that month…the figure of the constellation was to be on one face, as if the sun were emerging from it. This usage is my own, and has never been practised until now.’ In addition to serving as a visual representation of the month in which they were minted, zodiac signs were associated with protective powers.
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