A Brass Imitation or Off-Metal Strike? An Unusual Shah Alam II Gold-Coloured Mohur

The Bengal Presidency, formerly known as the Presidency of Fort William, was the most prominent administrative division of the British East India Company in the Indian subcontinent. At the height of its territorial extent, it encompassed much of present-day Bangladesh, eastern and northern India, and parts of neighbouring South and Southeast Asia. The Presidency became the principal centre of British administration, with Calcutta serving as its capital and one of the most important minting centres in India during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

Ali Gohar, who ascended the Mughal throne as Emperor Shah Alam II, was the seventeenth Mughal Emperor and the son of Alamgir II. His reign coincided with the rapid decline of Mughal authority and the rise of the East India Company as the dominant political power in India. Shah Alam II ruled from 10 October 1760 to 31 July 1788, and after a brief interruption, from 16 October 1788 until his death on 19 November 1806. Although his political influence diminished considerably, coins bearing his name continued to be struck at several mints under both Mughal and East India Company authority, making his coinage one of the most significant transitional series in Indian numismatics.

Among the highest denominations of the period was the Gold Mohur, struck to a standard weight of approximately 12.36 grams with a diameter of around 26 mm. These coins were produced at important mints including Azimabad, Jahangirnagar, Calcutta, and Murshidabad. The obverse typically carries elegant Persian couplets and inscriptions, while the reverse bears the Persian julus formula, regnal year, and mint name. Genuine Mohurs were struck in high-purity gold and finished with an obliquely milled edge, reflecting the high standards of minting maintained for precious-metal coinage during the period.

The specimen examined here closely resembles a 1788 Shah Alam II Gold Mohur in its overall design and calligraphy, yet its physical and metallurgical characteristics differ substantially from those of an official issue. The coin has a golden appearance, measures approximately 25 mm in diameter, and weighs only 7.18 grams, considerably below the standard Mohur weight. In addition, the outer beaded border, a normal feature of genuine Mohurs, is absent from the specimen, suggesting either an incomplete strike, an altered die, or a non-official manufacture.

Metallurgical analysis provides the most compelling evidence regarding its nature. The alloy consists of approximately 62% copper, 37% zinc, 0.2% iron, trace platinum (0.014%), and other minor elements, while containing no detectable gold or silver. This composition corresponds closely to a brass alloy, whose natural golden colour could easily imitate the appearance of gold. Such a composition is fundamentally inconsistent with an official Mughal Gold Mohur, eliminating the possibility that the coin is a regular circulation issue.

Several explanations may account for this unusual specimen. The most likely interpretation is that it is a contemporary or later counterfeit, produced to imitate the appearance of a genuine Mohur while using a much less valuable brass alloy. The convincing golden colour would have enhanced its deceptive appearance, particularly before the widespread availability of scientific methods for verifying precious-metal content. Alternatively, although less likely, the specimen could represent an off-metal strike (OMS) or an experimental mint product struck from genuine dies on an unintended brass planchet. However, official records of Mughal or East India Company mints striking Mohurs in brass are presently unknown, making this explanation difficult to support without further evidence.

Determining the true origin of the coin requires additional investigation. Detailed die-link analysis, microscopic examination of the striking characteristics, and archaeometallurgical dating could help establish whether the piece is a contemporary counterfeit, a later replica, or an exceptional mint anomaly. If the dies prove identical to those used on genuine Mohurs, the specimen would be of considerable numismatic interest regardless of its official status.

Based on the currently available evidence, the specimen is best regarded as a gold-coloured brass imitation of a Shah Alam II Mohur, rather than an official gold issue. Nevertheless, its unusual alloy, faithful reproduction of the original design, and uncertain date of manufacture make it an intriguing object for further study. Whether it represents a sophisticated historical forgery or an exceptionally rare off-metal striking, it offers valuable insight into the production, imitation, and circulation of high-value Mughal coinage during one of the most dynamic periods of Indian monetary history.