Coins of the Contemporary Period of Afghanistan

Abstract

The present study aims to know the specifications, minting, and usage of contemporary coins in Afghanistan, which can be an important step in identifying the history of Afghanistan by studying it. Before the appearance of coins, all transactions were done in kind, which was called kind-to-kind exchange or barter. Since the barter exchange was associated with many difficulties and did not provide for the needs of the general public considering the variety of products, advances, and achievements, precious metals such as copper, silver, and gold were traded as a means of exchange, which made the exchange process easier and more effective. This process continued with the minting of coins. In Afghanistan, transactions were started by barter, and different coins were used in different periods. Some of these coins were minted outside the borders of Afghanistan, and some were minted inside the country. In later periods, the kings of Afghanistan's contemporary history, such as Ahmad Shah Abdali, his sons, and descendants, as well as Amanullah Khan, Habibullah Khan Kalkani, Muhammad Nader Khan, Muhammad Zahir Shah, and Muhammad Dawood Khan, also minted coins. In this article, an attempt will be made to identify the coins of the contemporary period of Afghanistan, to analyze the collected materials later, and to provide answers to the questions raised in the research. By studying the historical text and the documentary evidence that exists in the archives, museums, and bazaars of the center of Afghanistan, it is clear that the kings of the contemporary history of Afghanistan started minting coins to solve economic problems and issues related to financial issues. Because in the governance of an important part after human power, the issue of economy is very important, it is also clear in the multiplicative process that Afghanistan was in a state of progress at that time compared to the current situation because it solves all its monetary needs by itself, and in the important parts of this land, there was minting, one example of which is currently in Kabul, which people call the machine house, where coins and military issues were made during the modern history of Afghanistan.