Mohur

A mohur is a gold coin (ASHRAFI )that was formerly minted by several governments, including British India and some of the princely states which existed alongside it, the Mughal Empire, Kingdom of Nepal, and Afghanistan. It was usually equivalent in value to fifteen silver rupees. It was last minted in British India in 1918, but some princely states continued to issue the coins until their accession to India after 1947. Similar coins were also issued by the British authorities in denominations of 2/3 mohur (10 rupees), 1/3 mohur (5 rupees) and the double mohur (30 rupees), and some of the princely states issued half-mohur coins (equal to 7 rupees and 8 anna).

The mohur coin (ASHRAFI) was first introduced by Sher Shah Suri during his rule in India between 1540 and 1545 and was then a gold coin weighing 169 grains (10.95 grams). He also introduced copper coins called dam and silver coins called rupiya that weighed 178 grains (11.53 grams). Later on, the Mughal emperors standardized this coinage of tri-metallism across the sub-continent in order to consolidate the monetary system.

The word mohur or mohor is from the Persian word muhr, which means "seal" and is cognate with the Sanskrit word mudra which also means "seal".

Gold mohurs issued by the Moghul Empire, the British East India Company or the British Crown are valuable collector items and sell in auctions for lakhs of rupees. The double mohur (minted between 1835 and 1918) with a value of 30 rupees is the highest denomination circulating coin issued till date. An 1835 double mohur was sold at a Bangalore auction for Rs. 11.5 lakhs making it the highest ever coin bid in India.

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