Extremely Fine, Extremely Rare.

It is unusual for a largesse coin, or 'Nisar', to have a weight of 1/10th Rupee, but as Nisars were struck as a 'functional' rather than a circulatory coinage, it is not surprising that their weights, particularly for low denominations, were often decided by the manufacturing demands than circulatory realities. It is worth noting that the coin inscription does not have the word 'Nisar' in it, but nevertheless the odd weight and the style/type make it certain that this must have functioned as a largesse coin. In his 4th RY, Shah Jahan was at Burhanpur pursuing campaigns against the rebel Khan Jahan Lodhi and the Nizamshahi Sultanate. In the same year, there was a major famine. It was decided that till His Majesty remained at Burhanpur, every Monday a total of 5000 Rupees should be given away as largesse. Thus over Twenty Mondays, One Lac Rupees were donated to the poor as charity. This is very likely the backdrop for this coin being issued. Towards the end of RY 4, Shah Jahan's wife Mumtaz Mahal died at Burhanpur. This might also have resulted in some charity or alms-giving.