Kalat Falus of Khudadad Khan: Km 21, 1290 to 1294, INO Mahmud Khan

Started by Rangnath, March 27, 2009, 07:22:42 PM

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Rangnath

Altogether, I have 6 of these. Five are posted below. The sixth is the crudest of the lot, though it does seem to belong with the others. The heaviest is 4.6 grams, the lightest is 4. The largest is over 30 mm across and the smallest is about 24. I'm not sure that I undestand the dates or reynal years. One seems to say 8295, or is that 1295? 
Where are they from?  any ideas?
richie

Afrasi

Hi!

It's Mahmud Khan Durrani! Struck by Khudadad Khan of Kalat, Balutchistan.



Kind regards, Afrasi

Overlord

Thanks Afrasi.
These are KM#21. I think the years are
1. AH 1293
2. AH 1290
3 & 4. ND
5. AH 1294

Rangnath

Thanks Afrasi and Overlord.
What an incredibly pleasant surprise! 
I had been researching the Pashtun people earlier in the week in regard to an American Afghan policy (if you're interested in taking this up with me, please do so in a personal message and not in this numismatic forum) and now I have coins minted in the name of a Duranni!
These coins really do have a unique feel; light, thin and wide. The illustration in the standard catalog doesn't do the coin justice.
richie



asm

Richie,
Fantastic coins. Even here, in India, we do not regularly see such coins.
Amit
"It Is Better To Light A Candle Than To Curse The Darkness"

Rangnath

In reading the dates, it helps to know the dates of the reign of the ruler, doesn't it?
Number three coin appears to be 1293 also.  I have the obverse and reverse switched from the others.
richie

Overlord

Moderators, please move this thread to the Princely States board.

Salvete

A few years ago, these were commonly available at about Rs.100 to Rs.300 and they were about 50% without dates.  Many of the dated coins were bought by collectors, but undated ones probably were melted.  Nowadays it is hard to find them (Amit confirmed they are rarely available, even in India) and the prices are much higher, especially in Europe and America.  They were struck over the course of a number of years, probably annually, but some dates, I understannd are still unreported.  As a result of crude engraving and protracted minting, there is a great variety of appearance, but the better engraved and dated coins are most in demand.  Yours is an impressive group, Richie, and it is a pleasure to see them.  Thanks.

Salvete
Ultimately, our coins are only comprehensible against the background of their historical context.

Rangnath

Since I made that original post, I have seen a couple on Ebay.  Imagine!  I actually knew which "princely state" minted the coin.
richie

Salvete

Watch and see what prices they fetch, Richie.  Especially if the dates are clear!

Salvete
Ultimately, our coins are only comprehensible against the background of their historical context.

Rangnath

I did Salvete. One went for $90. Another went for less than $40. Not surprisingly, the one that went for less had LESS information attached to the coin.  It was labeled as "OLD Islamic Coin".  Both had equally clear dates, but the better coin was the cheaper one.  Sometimes, information adds value, doesn't it?
richie

asm

Quote from: Rangnath on February 02, 2011, 11:26:59 PM
.........  Sometimes, information adds value, doesn't it?
richie

Richie,

Attributed coins of scarce or difficult mints / eras have been known to be atleast 5X if not 10X the price of a similar unattributed coin.

Amit
"It Is Better To Light A Candle Than To Curse The Darkness"

Rangnath

I believe I paid $5 for the original collection of Kalat coins because they were unattributed and, to the dealer, looked to be poorly struck and centered.  And of course, on top of those demerits, the coin seemed indecipherable. How those coins ended up in Portland, Oregon might have made an interesting story. 
richie

Salvete

That's interesting, Richie.  I just sold all my Kalat coins to a collector for under half that price!!

Salvete
Ultimately, our coins are only comprehensible against the background of their historical context.

Rangnath

I'm beginning to see the outline of the Salvete Conspiracy.  Your research on Kachcha coins is inflating the value of Malwa coppers, while at the same time, the unloading of Kalat coins is drastically deflating the value of coppers in Balochistan!  While I might be off by a century or two, this should definitely make Afghan poppies  more desirable than those in Malwa. Either that, or it is the other way around! Well done Salvete.
richie