Sur Empire Islam Shah Suri Copper 1/2 Paisa Star Mark, Shahgarh Mint

Sur Empire (Delhi Sultanate), Ruler: Islam Shah Suri (r. 1545–1552 CE), Denomination: 1/2 Paisa (Half Dam), Mint: Shahgarh, Metal: Copper, Weight: 10.26 grams, Diameter: 18 mm, Reference: Goron & Goenka (G&G) D1015, About Very Fine, Rare.

Obverse: Arabic legend “Abu’l Muzaffar Islam Shah bin Sher Shah Sultan Khallada Allah Mulkahu” with a distinct star mint mark placed to the left of the Sultan’s name.

Islam Shah Suri, the capable son and successor of Sher Shah Suri, ruled the Sur Empire from 1545 to 1552 CE. He inherited a powerful and administratively reformed empire built by his father and worked to maintain central authority against Afghan nobles and internal dissent. His copper coinage continued the well-organized monetary structure introduced under Sher Shah, including fractional denominations for daily market circulation.

The Half-Paisa (Half Dam) from the Shahgarh mint is particularly notable for its star mint mark, usually positioned to the left of the Sultan’s name. Such mint marks played an important role in identifying mint locations and emission varieties within Sur coinage. Star-marked Shahgarh issues are scarce and command strong collector interest, especially when legends are sharp and the mint mark clearly visible.