Extremely Fine, Extremely Rare.

Akbar issued a series of coins from Agra mint dated in Ilahi 47 and 48 which bear denominational terms in the legends. 'Rupaya', 'Darb' and 'Charan' corresponding to one, half and quarter rupee denominations are known. These terms are corroborated by Abu'l Fazal in his descriptive account of Akbar's kingdom and governance, the Ain-i-Akbari. By far, this is the earliest mention of the name 'Rupaya' on a coin and the series is thus historically significant providing a numismatic context to the denomination which subsequently grew to become the 'international currency' of the Indian Ocean region and now remains the national coin denomination of India. So far, the earliest instance of a coin bearing the word 'Rupaya' was from the Ashmolean Museum collection, which is dated Khurdad 47. But here we have a coin which precedes this by a month - Ardibihisht being the month before Khurdad – and thus replaces the Ashmolean coin in being the earliest instance of the use of the word 'Rupaya' on a coin. All coins with the word 'Rupaya' included in the legend (we know of Khurdad, Shahrewar and Di for the year 47 and Farwardin and Ardibihisht for the year 48) have it as the last line in reverse legend, just below the mint-name. However, this coin has it at the top. Both these aspects make it a really significant coin..