Coins struck at Kabul
1 catalogued coin and note attributed to Kabul, with weights, legends, dates and Wikimedia-sourced images across Afsharid & Zand.
In short
Kabul struck coinage under Ghaznavid, Ghurid, Timurid, Afsharid and Durrani authority, a mint on the hinge between the Iranian plateau and the Indian subcontinent. Kabul is a mint of the Iranian world represented in the Persian Treasury catalogue by 1 coin and note struck between 9 CE – 1738 CE. Its output here covers Silver in the Rupee denominations, issued under Nader Shah Afshar.
- Catalogued
- 1
- Eras
- 1
- Metals
- 1
- Denominations
- 1
Key facts
| Catalogued pieces | 1 |
|---|---|
| Date range | 9 CE – 1738 CE |
| Eras represented | Afsharid & Zand |
| Metals | Silver |
| Denominations | Rupee |
| Issuers | Nader Shah Afshar |
| Region | Eastern Afghanistan |
| Issuers | Ghaznavid, Ghurid, Timurid, Afsharid, Durrani |
| Standards | Often Indian rupee weight |
| Legend language | Persian |
Between two monetary worlds
Kabul's coinage often follows Indian rather than Iranian standards — rupee weights, Indian denominational structure — while carrying Persian legends. That hybrid character is the mint's defining feature.
Nader Shah's campaign made Kabul an Afsharid mint in the 1730s, and the Durrani state that emerged after his death continued to strike there in Persian.
Attribution notes
Mint name and Hijri date sit in the field or margin, and couplet legends are common on Afsharid and Durrani issues. Partial strikes are frequent, so a full couplet is a genuine quality marker.
Because sovereignty changed rapidly in the eighteenth century, closely dated Kabul issues are useful evidence for who actually controlled the city in a given year.
Afsharid & Zand · 1736 – 1796 CE
Era overview →Frequently asked about Kabul
- Why do Kabul coins use Indian weights?
- Because the city's trade faced both ways. Indian-standard silver circulated easily in the subcontinent while Persian legends served the ruling administration.
- Who struck coins at Kabul?
- Ghaznavids, Ghurids, Timurids, Mughals, Nader Shah's Afsharid state and the Durrani rulers who followed him.
- What coins were struck at Kabul?
- Kabul is a mint of the Iranian world represented in the Persian Treasury catalogue by 1 coin and note struck between 9 CE – 1738 CE. Its output here covers Silver in the Rupee denominations, issued under Nader Shah Afshar.
- How many Kabul pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?
- 1 item, dated 9 CE – 1738 CE, spread across 1 era: Afsharid & Zand.
- Which metals were used for Kabul coinage?
- Silver. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
- Which denominations are associated with Kabul?
- Rupee. Every denomination has its own reference page with dated examples.