Representation of a Gold Medal struck at the command of Shah Jehan A.H. 1064

Sheet of blue card with the dedication: "To the Right Honorable C.W.W.Wynne, President, and to the Members of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain, This Representation of a Magnificent Indian Golden Medal or Coin (of 70 oz wt), Taken from a richly Gilt Copper Facsimile of the Original is most respectfully Inscribed by their obedient servant Wm Yule, Major E.I.C." The card measures 56cm by 44cm and is dated Edinburgh, 1st May, 1834. Besides the dedication the card bears details of the inscriptions on both observe and reverse sides of the coin, with equivalent English translation and Romanised Arabic. The coin was cast in the reign of Shah Jahan I, A.H. 1064 (1653).

Please note, the card has suffered water damage and is in a fragile condition.

Shahab-ud-din Muhammad Khurram (1592 – 1666), better known by his regnal name, Shah Jahan I, was the fifth Mughal emperor of India and reigned from 1628-1658. He was known for his contributions to architecture.

Charles Watkin Williams Wynn was President of Royal Asiatic Society from 1823-1841.

William Yule was the son of George and Elizabeth Yule; his family were farmers in East Lothian, Scotland. He was appointed a cadet in the Bengal Army in December 1780, aged sixteen, and sailed for India the following March. He was Assistant Resident in Lucknow and Delh,i and Postmaster in Lucknow in 1800. In October 1806 he was promoted to Major, retiring in 1808. He was offered the Lieutenant-Governorship of St Helena in 1807, but did not accept. In 1811 he married Eliza, eldest daughter of William Paterson of Braehead. He died at 25 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh on 6 October 1839.

Open. Please contact the archivist. Details can be found here. The archive is open on Tuesdays and Fridays 10-5, and Thursdays 2-5. Access is to any researcher without appointment but it will help if an appointment is made via phone or email. Please bring photo ID.

The material was given by William Yule.

This material was catalogued by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2022.

Digital photography (without flash) for research purposes may be permitted upon completion of a copyright declaration form, and with respect to current UK copyright law.

The Society's donations register states that the material was donated by Major William Yule through the Right Honourable Sir Gore Ouseley. It is not known for why the document was made.

The Society has publications by Henry Yule within its collections. Details can be found here.