Afghan rupee coinage
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
19th - early 20th century
Issuing entity
AfghanistanThe Afghan rupee coinage encompasses the silver rupees and related denominations issued by Afghan rulers, functioning as Afghanistan's currency until its replacement by the afghani in 1923. Rupee coinage was originally introduced to the region in 1754 under Emperor Ahmad Shah Durrani, initially circulating alongside copper fulus and gold mohur coins without fixed exchange rates between the different metals.
A unified Afghan rupee system was established in 1891 based on the Kabuli rupee, replacing both regional Kabuli and Kandahari variants.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 2
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Following the introduction of the rupee by Emperor Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1754, Afghan rupee coins were struck at Kabul and other mints, with dates rendered in the Hijra calendar. Prior to the 1891 monetary reform, different regions produced their own coinage, including distinct Kabuli and Kandahari rupee varieties, which circulated alongside copper falus and gold mohur pieces without standardised exchange ratios. The 1891 reform consolidated these disparate regional issues into a single currency system based on the Kabuli rupee, which served Afghanistan until the introduction of the afghani in 1923.
Identification
- Recognition pointers (from background sources)
- Look for dates recorded according to the Hijra calendar. Identify specific fractional denominations such as the shahi (1/12 rupee), sanar (1/6 rupee), abbasi (1/3 rupee), or kran (1/2 rupee). Distinguish pre-1891 regional issues, such as the Kandahari and Kabuli rupees, from the standardised post-1891 Kabuli rupee issues.
Documentation checklist
- Denomination
- Research required
- Issue or mint date
- Recorded
- Material
- Research required
- Weight
- Research required
- Mint or printer
- Research required
- Mint or printer mark
- Research required
- Catalogue reference
- Research required
- Attached photograph (check rights)
- Recorded
Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Mint and date listings require transcription from a printed reference.