Aurangzeb (1661-1663 AD in Cooch Behar), Silver ½ Tanka, 4.77g, Alamgirnagar Mint, RY 4, struck on the Cooch Behar standard with Bengali text, obv. legend in four lines Aora /ngajeva Va/dasaha Ala/mgira a cross under va, rev. in four lines Jarava/ Alamgi/ rnagara/ Sana (4) (Rhodes Bose 55, KM 85). Very Fine, Very Rare. In 1661 Cooch Behar was invaded by the Mughuls, who occupied the area for over two years. The Mughal General Mir Jumla used Cooch Behar as a base for his ultimately disastrous expedition into Assam. During the Mughal occupation, Prana Narayan fled to Bhutan, returning only in 1663 to re-occupy the area. The name of the town of Cooch Behar was changed to Alamgirnagar (after Aurangzeb Alamgir), and coins were struck in the name of the Mughal Emperor. In style they were exactly similar to the half rupees of Prana Narayan with legend in Urdu, but written in Bengali script. This issue, which fits into both the Cooch Behar and Mughal series, is Extremely Rare. This is probably one of the only examples in Mughal numismatic history that coins were issued in a regional script.

• Saka 1661-1663