Note: Akbar was the first Mughal emperor to introduce poetic (metrical) couplets on imperial coinage, a highly innovative and short-lived experiment that makes these issues exceptionally rare. The celebrated “Ta Zameen-wa-Aasman” couplet appears on select gold and silver coins struck during Akbar’s Ilahi years 49 and 50, almost exclusively at the Agra mint.

The couplet reads:

مهر مهر شاه اکبر آبروی این زر است
تا زمین و آسمان را مهر انور زیور است

Mehr-i Muhar-i Shah Akbar Aabru-ye ain Zar ast
Ta Zameen-wa-Aasman ra Mihr-i Anwar Zewar ast

Translation:
The grace of the stamp of Shah Akbar is the glory of this gold;
So long as earth and sky are adorned by the radiant sun.

Each hemistich is divided between the obverse and reverse, executed in elegant Nastaliq calligraphy. The poetic play on the words mihr (sun) and muhr (seal/stamp) symbolically equates Akbar’s sovereignty with cosmic order, elevating imperial authority to a universal and timeless plane. Importantly, the term mihr here refers poetically to the sun and not to the Ilahi month Mihr.

As noted by R.B. Whitehead and later scholars including Dr. Shailendra Bhandare, coins bearing this couplet are among the most sophisticated productions of Mughal numismatics, marking the beginning of a coinage that later was elaborated on by Jahangir. Their rarity, literary refinement, and philosophical depth make the “Ta Zameen-wa-Aasman” issues some of the most coveted poetic coins of early Mughal reign.

This Nazarana-style gold mohur is magnificent in every respect, embodying the highest ideals of imperial Mughal splendor. The coin bears a refined poetic couplet, eloquently likening Akbar and his empire to the sun, gold, and the heavens, a powerful expression of sovereignty and divine kingship. Executed in exquisite Nastaliq calligraphy, the composition displays exceptional balance, elegance, and visual harmony. Its remarkable aesthetic appeal and refined artistry stand as a testament to the culmination of Mughal minting at its most regal and sophisticated height.

This exceptional specimen is offered by us for the first time in our auction.

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