From the Life in the Sikh Kingdoms collection ·
The full story
Small enough to hold between two fingers, a coin could carry the idea of a kingdom far beyond its court. The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism records gold mohurs from the Lahore mint from 1828, popularly called butkis. Their inscriptions included an invocation to Waheguru in Gurmukhi alongside the established coin legends.
Look closely at this illustration: two faces of a gold coin sit together against dark velvet. The circular border and dense lettering turn a practical object into something that asks to be read. Imagine the different questions a merchant, a mint worker and a royal treasurer might ask of the same piece: its weight, its workmanship and the authority behind it.
This is a modern collectible inspired by Sikh gold coinage. Its lettering, dates and appearance should not be used to identify or authenticate an actual mohur. Follow the historical source to explore how minting expressed sovereignty.
Research & sources
Follow the historical record behind this card. Campaign artwork is an interpretation; an object’s ownership, appearance or a person’s likeness needs its own evidence.
Place it in the wider story.
Coins, jewels and the Star of Punjab ↗
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