Click on image to view the variations.
Jahangir introduced a remarkable variety of magnificent gold mohurs during his reign. The most
famous are the zodiac mohurs MUGH-14 - MUGH-38 for presentation at court which, alongside his portrate coins
MUGH-07 - MUGH-13, are unique in Mughal numismatics. Probably the most appealing types are the ornate gold coins of the Agra mint, each marked with
the month of their striking, and each with different arabesque scrollwork encercling the legends, a triumph of the calligrapher and the engraver.
Jahangir's use of images on the coinage was much more marked than his father's (Akbar). In the sixth year of his reign (1020 AH)
he ventured upon the daring innovation of engraving his own portrait on some of his gold coins. He is represented in bust with head turned to the left, and
face wearing only a moustache; the shoulders are covered by a broadcaded dress, and a turban adorned with the imperial jikkah or egret is on his head; his hand
holds sometimes a book, sometimes fruit; and sometimes he hold a book in one hand and a globlet in the other. If, as is probable, the book is intended for the
Koran, its combination with a wine-cup must hve been regard by orthodox Muslims as an outrage. In the following year (1021 AH) and in 1023 AH, Jahangir placed on some
of his gold coins his royal person seated cross-legged on a throne, with the inseparable goblet raised in his right hand, and with an aureole or nimbus round
his head, which he probably derived from some Christian paintings, but which wears a singularly incongruous air in conjunction with the wine-cup and the Emperor's
bacchanalian pose. On the reverse of most of these portrait coins is a lion surmounted by the sun, apparently setting behind it; but on some coins the sun has been
explained as a reference to the fact that Jahangir was born on a Sunday.
It is not probable that these bacchanalian coins, as they have been called, were intended for general
circulation. They would have caused deep umbrage to any orthodox Sunnis into whose hands they fell, and even Shiyas with all their freedom from traditional prejudice,
would hardly have relished these venomous representations. The portrait-coins were doubtless in the nature of medals or presentation pieces, rather than money
for circulation.
On the other hand, the well-known zodiacal coins of Jahngir were certainly intended to pass as ordinary money, and generally took
the place of common coinage of the Agra mint during the eight years of their issue (1027-1034 AH).
Jahangir issued five-mohurs gold coins MUGH-06.