Gwalior State Jayaji Rao Sindhiya1843-1886 CE Lashkar mint INO Muhammad Akbar II Copper Paisa

Gwalior State, Jayaji Rao Sindhiya, 1843-1886 CE, Minted at Lashkar with pseudo mint name Gwalior on flan, INO Muhammad Akbar II, Sahib i Qiran type, Denomination: Paisa, Composition: Copper, Weight: 7.99 grams, Diameter: 18 mm, KM Unlisted, About Very Fine, Rare.

This copper Paisa was issued by the Gwalior State during the reign of Jayaji Rao Sindhiya (1843–1886 CE) and struck at the Lashkar mint. Although produced under a Maratha princely authority, the coin interestingly bears the name of the Mughal emperor Muhammad Akbar II, reflecting the continued symbolic prestige of Mughal sovereignty in 19th-century India. The use of the Sahib-i-Qiran legend, a Timurid-Mughal imperial title, further emphasizes this political tradition, where regional rulers acknowledged Mughal legitimacy while exercising full administrative and monetary control.

The pseudo mint name “Gwalior” appearing on the flan instead of the actual Lashkar mint was a deliberate stylistic choice, meant to assert state identity while maintaining familiarity with established Mughal coin types. Such hybrid issues illustrate the complex transition from Mughal authority to autonomous princely states under British paramountcy. Unlisted in standard catalogs and struck in limited numbers, this coin represents a rare and historically significant phase of Indo-Islamic numismatics.