Jahangir, AE Dam AH1024 Agra mint, overstruck on Suri Dynasty Paisa

[capnbirdseye]

This coin is larger than any of my Akbar dams although obviously thinner to account for similar weights, the lower part of the coin on both sides looks a bit confused so I'm wondering if it's one of those coins overstruck on a Dehli Sultanate coin?


weight 19.41g    24mm

[saro]

Yes, these dams of Jahangir are often overstruck on old Suri paisa of the same weight, your coin shows parts of the previous legend which give the reading somewhat difficult.
The full legends are : "Jahangir-i-falus sanah + ry" (regnal year is on left under the central line (= "i"), not easily seen here?: may be 8 ?) and "sanah + date AH + zarb Agrah"

if ry is 8, AH date should be 1022

[capnbirdseye]

The date ends in a 4, the only part that's clear,   

 if the RY is at the far left then it looks like a 9?

[birder]

Wow !!! What a nice coin.

I had never heard of overstruck coins till now. What a concept...!! Wonder why was it done..?

[capnbirdseye]

Wow !!! What a nice coin.

I had never heard of overstruck coins till now. What a concept...!! Wonder why was it done..?

I guess they wanted evidence of the previous dynasty erased to show they were the new rulers, , I'm surprised that at year 8 or 9 of Jahangir's reign they were still overstriking older coins rather than melting them down for new coins

[saro]

You may have a look on this, in this section of WoC:
JAHANGIR DOUBLE STRIKE
« on: February 03, 2012, 11:43:04 AM

[Figleaf]

There is only one reason for overstriking coins, rather than re-melting them: urgency. There is no time for re-melting, the ruler needs money RIGHT NOW. Most of the time, the cause of the hurry is military.

I think the developments around Kandahar gave the cause for the overstrikes. The Safavids were threatening to take all of Afghanistan and Jahangir needed to raise an army quickly.

Peter

[Prosit]

Another possible reason is that it is cheaper than re-melting or creating new coins.
Dale

There is only one reason for overstriking coins, rather than re-melting them: urgency. Peter

[birder]

William George Smith has written an interesting "Encyclopaedic Dictionary of the Bible". On page 412 I found one of the reasons for restriking of coins as "to be so consumed by hatred so as to desire to obliterate all traces of an obnoxious image".

May be the object of the restrike was to simultaneously  "insult" and "obliterate the memory" of the previous ruler.

[asm]

Suri's were finally defeated by Humayun and all traces of resistance ended early in the reign of Akbar. Jahangir came almost 50 years later.......so revenge or insult may not have been the motive. Also such over struck coins are mainly found from Agra mint ......... It is also pertinent to note that Akbar struck so much copper that for over a hundred years after him, the mughal rulers did not have to strike many copper coins...........

Amit

[birder]

Many Thanks.

The more one learns, the more one learns how much there is to learn !!!

Thanks and regards.