Muhammad Akbar Shah II, Shahjahanabad Dar-ul-Khilafa Mint, Silver Rupee, AH 1203/Ahad RY, Obv: "saya-e-fazle elah"couplet, flag symbol, Rev: sana julus zarb, 11.20g, 20.26mm, Unlisted Type, about uncirculated, Extremely Fine.

In the later Mughals history the Hijri year 1203 was a period of turmoil and change for the Indian Emperors. It saw the rule of Delhi changing between the hands from Shah Alam II to Bedar Bakht, from Bedar Bakht to Muhammad Akbar II and from Muhammad Akbar II to Shah Alam II again.

Akbar II (22 April 1760 – 28 September 1837), who was also known as Akbar Shah II was the penultimate Mughal emperor of India. He reigned from 1806-1837. He was the second son of Shah Alam II and the father of Bahadur Shah II. The young Prince Akbar II was enthroned by the Rohilla chief Ghulam Qadir. Mirza Akbar Shah wrote to Nawab Faizullah Khan: “ …on 14th Muharram (15th October) the imperial throne was illuminated by our august accession and the sound of the kettle-drum of felicitations reached the ears of the inhabitants of earth and the world above … the face of Gold and Silver coins shown brighter than the sun and the moon by the effluence of the impression, of our name on them”. 

This reign was very short lived when Ghulam Qadir ran away and Mahadaji Scindhia captured Delhi to reinstate the blind emperor Shah Alam II to the throne on 17th October 1788. It is very interesting to note that the emperor has left us a written record of the fact that Khutba was read and coins were struck in both gold and silver for such a short reign and that both such coins have been discovered. For detailed discussion of the event and coinage of the puppets, ome may see the article by Dr Shailendra Bhandare “Muhammad Akbar: A pawn in politics: the first reign” in the ONS Newsletter 175 (pg18-30) - Year 2003. 

Flag symbol is probably not recorded.