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Aurangzeb, AR Rupee, Sangameshwar, RY 4X

The mint on the above coin has so far been read as Sangamner (Aurangzeb, KM#300.80). A coin with the same mint-name is also known for Farrukhsiyar. With the publication of Prashant Kulkarni of a larin in the name of (Aurangzeb) Alamgir with the same mint-name (JONS 186) and the article by Shailendra Bhandare on the Rajapur mint and the coinage in south Konkan (JONS 188) the question arrived whether the mint should be Sangamner or, as both Kulkarni and Bhandare suggested, the port town Sangameshwar. Sangameshwar, a tehsil in the Ratnagiri subdivision of Ratnagiri district in the state of Maharastra is a port of some repute. It is situated at the confluence of two rivers Sonavi and Shastri. In fact, the very meaning of Sangama in Maratha is confluence, and so the name Sangameshwar. It's a historical place where Sambhajiraje, son of Chhtrapati Shivaji was captured and killed by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir. 
Larins, as described by Kulkarni, were exclusively used in maritime trade and were struck in large quantities at Dabul. Kulkarni reported from a hoard of larins a few rare pieces struck in port towns of the Konkan, like Rajapur and Sangameshwar. This has lead to the general acceptance that the mint-name, earlier read as Sangamner, should be read as Sangamesar, which is a valid variant in Persian for Sangameshwar. Moreover the coin matches the very rare issues of Islam Bandar/Rajapur, which is located close by.
 

Accession No

C/A/12/169

Weight

11.55 g

Diameter

23.93 mm

Metal

Silver

Mint

Sangameshwar

Denomination

Rupee

Shape

Round
Regnal Year
4X