Description
Rohilkhand Kingdom, Najib Khan(1748 – 1770 AD/ 1161 – 1184 AH), INO Ahmad Shah Durrani, Silver Rupee, 11.10 grms, AH1183/RY21, Minted at Najibabad (Bijnor), Extra Fine, Extremely Rare. Najibabad was established in the 1740s by the Rohilla Nawab Najib-ud-Daula, an influential Afghan military leader, in the Rohilkhand region of present-day western Uttar Pradesh. This town became the political and cultural center for the Najibabadi branch of the Rohilla Afghans, who were originally Pashtun tribes from the mountainous regions of western Pakistan and Afghanistan before settling in India. From approximately AH 1168 until its conquest by the Nawab of Awadh at the close of AH 1187, coins bearing the name of the Mughal Emperor were minted annually in Najibabad. While the coin designs up to AH 1176 reflected purely Mughal artistry, from AH 1177 the Rohillas introduced their emblem—a stylized katar—next to the regnal year on the reverse side, symbolizing their growing autonomy. Around AH 1180, during the Durrani forces’ advance into India, Najibabad briefly minted silver and gold coins bearing the Rohilla symbol under the name of Durrani ruler Ahmad Shah, likely as a political move to secure Durrani support against regional rivals like the Nawabs of Awadh. Najib Khan himself rose swiftly in the Mughal administration, becoming Mir Bakshi, the chief of the Mughal army, and earning the prestigious title Najib-ud-Daula. A skilled statesman, he emerged as a dominant power broker in Delhi during the Mughal Empire’s decline and played a decisive role in the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761 by allying with Ahmad Shah Abdali against the Marathas, significantly shaping the political landscape of 18th-century North India. A very short-lived issue, featuring a gold mohur listed in SARC Auction 49, lot 647, sold in 2024 for $10,000. The description notes that no silver coins of this type are known or recorded, making this piece the first of its kind to appear.
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