Shah Shuja (AH 1068-1070), Patna Mint, Silver Rupee, AH 1068/Ahad RY, Obv: kalima shahada inscription La ilaha ilal Allah, Muhammadar Rasul Allah with dotted motifs and leaf designs within the square, four khalifas name in margin around, Rev: "shah shuja muhammadi badshah ghazi" in square & abul zafar nasr ud din muhammad saheb-e- qiran sani, regnal year ahad completely visible, mint name out off flan in left margin with single nukta of Persian nun from Patna is seen,11.19g, 21.62mm, (KM # 276.1, Zeno # 137500), choice extremely fine, Exceedingly Rare.

One of the die-identical specimen of Patna mint is uploaded on zeno website viz. coin no #137500, where complete mint name Patna is visible at left margin on the reverse side, and on the obverse "kalima shahada in square is written with the dotted motifs and leaf is seen just under the word "ALLAH" (in Arabic) in last line within the square". If we compare both examples we see much better obverse on the specimen offered here in the sale which has same dotted motifs and leaf is seen much clearer under the word “ALLAH” (in Arabic).  Now on the reverse of zeno's example we could clearly read out the zarb patna at left margin, if that is compared with this specimen then the single nukta of persian nun is seen but the remaining letters went off flan which no where makes this specimen less than of zeno’s Patna because this is the only 2^nd example of such type.  We have reconstructed the off flan letters of mint and displayed it for the reference of collectors.

Shah Shuja who lived from 23rd June 1616 –7th February 1661 was the second of the four sons of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and Empress Mumtaz Mahal.  Shah Shuja was the second of the four sons of Shah Jahan, the eldest being Dara Shikoh, followed by Aurangzeb and Murad Bakhsh. All four sons held posts as governors during their father’s reign. Shah Shuja was appointed by Shah Jahan as the Governor of the Bengal & was stationed at Rajmahal (Akbarnagar). He was the first to claim the throne & marched at the head of army towards Delhi. When Shah Jahan fell ill, a power struggle ensued between the four brothers, Shuja crowned himself emperor and took imperial titles, the Khutba was read and coins were struck at Patna and Akbarnagar.

With Aurangzeb’s burgeoning strength and domination over the other brothers, Aurangzeb marched from Punjab to the east where Shah Shuja’s army was routed. Shuja fled to Arakan where he perished but he first arrived at Chittagong and stayed for some time, from where he took the land route to Arakan which is still called Shuja Road and died near Mrauk-U, Arakan.

The entire period from AH 1068–AH 1070 where we find the coins of Shah Shuja, Murad Baksh, Aurangzeb of the same dates is very interesting.  Till date it is not confirmed that for how long the Shah Shuja has ruled as a Mughal Ruler because the coins have appeared with the single date.

One of the highest rarity in Mughal rupees and offered for the first time in any auction, only Akbarnagar mints are offered earlier in all auctions. An important specimen with original mud deposits on the surface as it is.